RYAN GARCIA CALLS OUT SHAKUR STEVENSON

Ryan Garcia didn't hold back when he took aim at Shakur Stevenson after his lackluster performance in the ring. According to Ryan, Shakur came off as "arrogant," not just in the fight but also in his general demeanor. The match against Edwin De Los Santos on November 16th left a lot to be desired, with Shakur seemingly on the losing end for most of the bout. Despite this, he somehow walked away with a questionable twelve-round unanimous decision and the vacant WBC lightweight title.

Ryan, unimpressed with the ESPN commentators' biased commentary, claimed he had to switch off the sound because what they were saying didn't match the actual action in the ring. Instead of acknowledging Shakur's lack of punches and evasive tactics, the commentators seemed to be painting a rosier picture of his performance. According to Ryan, it was like watching a bank robber making a getaway rather than a skilled fighter.

The booing from the audience started early, not because of De Los Santos' inability to cut off the ring but because Shakur was essentially running away. This running strategy, reminiscent of his previous fights against Jeremiah Nakathilia and Robeisy Ramirez, didn't sit well with the spectators or Ryan Garcia. Ryan emphasized the importance of honest commentary, urging ESPN to call it as they see it and not to shower praise on a poorly performing fighter.

Ryan didn't just criticize Shakur's in-ring performance; he took issue with Shakur's overall attitude, describing him as someone who thinks he's "great" and highlighting that this arrogance doesn't suit him. The source of Ryan's irritation was Tim Bradley, who, in Ryan's eyes, excessively praised Shakur during the fight with De Los Santos. According to Ryan, Shakur didn't just "not fight good"; he was downright scared, with a pull-back style that made the entire bout unwatchable.

For Ryan, burying Shakur at the bottom of the fight card or keeping him off TV altogether would be the ideal solution. Having a fighter with a dull and unappealing style in a headlining or co-feature spot is, according to Ryan, a recipe for disaster, especially with networks increasingly disinterested in boxing. In Ryan's eyes, Shakur's arrogant demeanor, both in and out of the ring, is a turn-off, and he emphasized the need for humility in the sport they all navigate together.

In a candid recounting of a personal encounter, Ryan shared a moment in Vegas when he invited Shakur to join a conversation but was met with what he described as arrogant behavior. According to Ryan, Shakur acted as if he was too important to join the discussion, an attitude that didn't sit well with Ryan, who stressed the collective journey they are all on in the world of boxing.

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