Ryan Garcia’s life knows no calm, neither inside nor outside the ring. Just days after his dominant victory over Mario Barrios to capture the WBC welterweight title, the California boxer had to confront a real threat at his own home.
Last Thursday night, an alleged intruder attempted to break into his Los Angeles residence, jumping the perimeter fence before being driven away by a rapid police response after a security officer reported the incident.
Official sources confirmed to TMZ Sportsthat the incident occurred around 9:35 PM. This episode adds to a concerning wave of insecurity that has affected other sports figures in the area, including Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
However, neither the scare nor the police appear to distract Garcia from his true objective: Shakur Stevenson.
“I want to take your belt”: The unfiltered challenge to Shakur Stevenson
With the momentum of his new world title, “King Ry” already has his sights set on a unification bout that could captivate the boxing world. His target is Shakur Stevenson, the undefeated WBO super lightweight champion.
Despite Stevenson proposing a catchweight of 144 pounds and strict VADA testing, Garcia was blunt in his response: “Forget the catchweight. Let’s do it for real. I want to take your belt and rip it away from you,” declared the Victorville-born boxer.
The major question revolves around the scale, especially after Ryan’s past struggles making 140 pounds. Nevertheless, Garcia insists the sacrifice is possible under one non-negotiable condition. “To those worried about 140 pounds, I’ll say this: it was also in my plans to win at 140. As long as there’s no rehydration clause, everything will move forward,” he said confidently.
Garcia also responded to Stevenson’s insinuations regarding banned substances following his 2024 positive test for ostarine, stating that he has never refused testing and calling Shakur’s comments defamatory. “I’d advise him to hold back. I know deep down he’s afraid, and he should be. I’m coming for you. Fear the Lord,” the champion concluded.
At 26 years old, Garcia appears to have left past controversies behind to focus on a sporting rebuild that now places him at the top. The clash with the 28-year-old Stevenson is not just a fight for belts, but the ultimate showdown between two of the most high-profile figures in modern American boxing.
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