“I understand u want a payday g I respect it.. Once again I would take u more serious if Gary didn’t beat the dog shit out of u.. Did u win a round? And DLS didn’t fight more than 1 round in 3 years I was not impressed u seen when he was active he knocked your head off,” Shakur said on X.

Stevenson argued that De Los Santos had fought only once in roughly three years before their meeting. He also reminded fans that De Los Santos previously knocked out Rayo when they met in 2022.

Valenzuela answered by steering the conversation toward current form instead of past defeats.

“You keep bringing up the past because you don’t want to talk about the present. I’m coming off a KO, you’re tweeting. If it’s really easy work, come collect. I’m looking at you as a come up, not a paycheck,” said Valenzuela.

The exchange began after Rayo Valenzuela challenged Shakur following Lamont Roach Jr.’s draw with Isaac Cruz. Valenzuela argued that his victory over Cruz gives him a stronger case than Roach for a fight with Shakur.

The matchup has obvious appeal because both fighters are signed with Zuffa Boxing. Stevenson has been searching for another significant opponent while larger fights with Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis remain unavailable. Valenzuela, meanwhile, sees a bout with Shakur as the quickest path into the title picture.