Robert Garcia disputes Shakur Stevenson's 135-pound Muratalla demand

Robert Garcia has challenged Shakur Stevenson's preference to face Raymond Muratalla at the 135-pound limit. Garcia suggests the IBF lightweight champion wants the bout at lightweight because it targets Muratalla's difficulty with weight cuts.

Following Muratalla's victory over Robson Conceição in August, he informed his team that while his conditioning was sufficient, his physical strength had diminished. Garcia believes Stevenson intends to capitalize on this perceived weakness. The trainer noted that Muratalla's strength was compromised during the weight cut, making a fight at 135 pounds an unfair advantage for Stevenson.

Stevenson currently holds titles at 140 pounds, including the WBO and The Ring belts. While a win over Muratalla at lightweight would grant him The Ring lightweight championship, Garcia argues that Stevenson should instead defend his existing 140-pound title. Moving the contest to 140 pounds would bypass the weight restrictions and ensure Muratalla competes with his full strength.

Garcia believes Muratalla possesses superior size, strength, and body punching compared to William Zepeda. He noted that Zepeda's high punch volume allowed him to remain competitive against Stevenson, but he views Muratalla as a bigger and more skilled opponent. However, Garcia acknowledges that Muratalla does not match Zepeda's relentless output.

There is a concern that a Stevenson victory at 135 pounds would be overshadowed by questions regarding how much the weight cut affected Muratalla. Garcia wants the matchup to occur in November or December, though he acknowledges that a potential fight against Devin Haney might take priority for Stevenson due to the financial benefits.

Ultimately, Garcia maintains that Stevenson can prove his superiority over Muratalla at 140 pounds without requiring his opponent to struggle with the scale first.