Shakur Stevenson Says One-Year Suspension Not Enough For Ryan Garcia
Shakur Stevenson doesn’t think the one-year suspension that Ryan Garcia is enough of a punishment.
Garcia had his win over Devin Haney overturned to a No Contest suspending him for a year, issuing a $10,000 fine and forcing the 25-year-old to return his $1.2 million guaranteed purse money. It was a hefty price to pay for the failed drug test, but Stevenson still doesn’t think it was enough.
“Naw [justice was not served for Haney] because I feel as though one year ain’t really nothing,” Stevenson told BoxingScene. “It’s not setting a good example to give somebody a year after something like that. Other fighters to come are going to think they are going to get only a year’s time for cheating. I feel as though that’s not fair. I think a lot of people are going to start doing it, too.”
Although Garcia got the year suspension, he did say he was going to retire before the punishment was handed down, so whether or not that is the case is uncertain.
As for Shakur Stevenson, he hopes he can get a big fight next time out and is open to moving up to 140lbs to make the fight.
“I’m down to fight anybody and everybody,” Stevenson said. “There are plenty of big fights out there like Gervonta Davis, William Zepeda and Isaac Cruz as well – anybody can get it. The main thing is to get these guys to say yes. I’m ready to step up to 140 pounds if it’s going to make the most money.”
Stevenson is 21-0 as a pro and coming off the decision win over Edwin De Los Santos. He also holds notable wins over Jamel Herring, Oscar Valdez, and Robson Conceicao among others.