David Benavidez is pushing Shakur Stevenson to take the Ryan Garcia fight and stop worrying about small weight differences at a point in his career where the biggest fights are supposed to happen.
Benavidez said Shakur is already moving up and shouldn’t be focused on a few pounds. “If you’re already making the move to 144, three extra pounds. You can drink a bottle of water, you’ll be up three pounds,” Benavidez told Fighthype, brushing off the notion that the jump to 147 has to come with conditions.
Shakur has insisted on a rehydration clause if the fight moves to 147 for his WBC welterweight title, to try to limit how much Ryan Garcia can get after the weigh-in. That stance has drawn criticism from fans, who see it as asking for a safety net in a fight he’s publicly confident about, especially given how often Stevenson has described himself as the best in the sport.
Benavidez did not consider it a personal issue. He called Stevenson “a hell of a fighter” and “one of the best fighters today,” but kept bringing the conversation back to timing and expectation. “These are the fights Shakur needs to solidify his career,” he said.
He also pointed out what comes with that level of struggle. A win over Ryan would not only bring a big payday, but also raise Shakur’s standing in a way that routine title defenses cannot. These are the nights that separate champions from fighters that are talked about on another level.
Benavidez described the match as even, dispelling any notion that one side was being thrown into a mismatch. “It’s a 50-50 fight,” he said. “I’m not going to say Ryan Garcia is going to knock out Shakur. I’m not saying Shakur is going to knock out Ryan Garcia.”
The emphasis remained on timing. Stevenson is in his prime at 28, and that’s when the risks are supposed to be managed rather than managed. “He’s in the prime of his career. These are the best times when you have to take these fights,” Benavidez said.
Benavidez sees the Ryan fight sitting there for Shakur and treats it like a fight that should already happen.
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Last updated on 2026/03/25 at 17:12
