Shanks is stronger than Black Beard (One Piece)

REBUTTALS:"Contention 1: Haki> Devil Fruit""Contention 2: Shank's Haki"My opponent brought up the point that Haki is necessary to progress in the New World. My opponent also implies Haki is superior to Devil Fruit. I disagree profusely. Notice how my opponent never explained what Haki actually is. Silvers Rayleigh give a good description when he explained it to Straw Hat Luffy: ""Haki" is a power that lies dormant in all the world's creatures... "Presence", "fighting spirit" and "intimidation"... It is not different from the things that humans can naturally sense such as these... 'The act of not doubting'. That is strength![1]." Red Haired Shanks may have Haki but Blackbeard has the Gura Gura No Mi fruit. What would prevent Blackbeard from stealing the powers of any Haki user?[1]http://onepiece.wikia.com...My opponent when on to explained that Red Haired Shanks stopped Akainu's Magma Fist with "relative ease" during the Whitebeard War. My opponent does not explain the context at all. Red Haired Shanks was able to stop a punch from an unsuspecting opponent. Red Haired Shanks was not fighting a fair fight at all.http://www.youtube.com..."Contention 3: Black Beard's Admittance"I refuted this in my Round 2 argument. I will post it again here: "Blackbeard would later encounter Shanks during the Whitebeard War and denying wanting to fight him. But post time skip, Blackbeard's powers are unknown. it is safe to assume, he has become stronger because he has become a Yonko. " The Whitebeard War was two years ago from the current One Piece storyline. Blackbeard probably has become far stronger during those two years. Let us not forget, Blackbeard's powers and progress have accelerated at a fast rate. When we first are introduced to Blackbeard long before the time skip during the Jaya Arc, Blackbeard was a captain of a small crew known as the Blackbeard Pirates which included Blackbeard himself, Doc Q, Jesus Burgess, Lafitte, and Van Augur. Before that we know that Blackbeard was an insignificant member of the Whitebeard Pirates working under Portgas D. Ace. Then we know that after Blackbeard defected from the Whitebeard Pirates and established his own crew after he stole the Gura Gura No Mi fruit. Blackbeard and his crew eventually rampaged through the Kingdom of Drum Island with ease some time after that point. Some time after Enies Lobby, the government saw Blackbeard's crew as being strong enough to become a Shichibukai/Warlord. Blackbeard and his crew were able to defeat "Fire Fist" Ace and brought him forward before the government for execution. Blackbeard eventually betrayed the government during the time of the Whitebeard War. During that time, Blackbeard absorbed Whitebeard's powers. Two years later, Blackbeard has become a Yonko in the New World. Blackbeard has gained so much power within a short period of time. "First, I think it's important to note that it takes YEARS to master one's devil fruit ability....The thing is that, Blackbeard has only had 2 years with his Devil Fruit, and I don't believe that that is enough time to master his devil fruit powers. Let me go into some detail."What proof does pro have that it takes years to master one's devil fruit ability? If this was true, why was Blackbeard able to defeat Ace when he did not have his power for years?"Luffy has had his devil fruit for many years (at least 10) to get to where he is today. Now, I do understand (like I stated earlier), that the Gomu Gomu no mi is not the most dangerous devil fruit out thee, but still, it's a good example. Another good example would be Ace's Devil Fruit, the Mera Mera no mi. Ace was strong and all, but at the end of the day, he lacked the asthetic of other logia users. For example, he couldn't travel as his own element (which is something crocodile could do). Even he hadn't mastered his devil fruit to the fullest extent."This is an equivocacy. Blackbeard is far more skilled than Straw Hat Luffy. Blackbeard was a Shichibukai and now Blackbeard is a Yonko. Straw Hat Luffy and Ace are not comparable to Blackbeard in terms of skill and progression."Shanks's power is unknown as well. For all we know, he could have obtained some strong devil fruit. I believe, that we should just be going off of what we do know."That is true that we don't know Shanks' power. However what great accomplishments has Shanks done in the last couple of years since the time skip? Why should we believe that Shanks has become stronger?"And with all of the crazy powers that he has, tilting seas, nullifying devil fruit powers, trying to sink Marineford, and all of the other crazy stuff, he still isn't ready to fight Shanks. He admits it himself. If admittance itself isn't proof enough that Shanks is stronger than Blackbeard, than I don't know what is."This is misleading, Blackbeard admitted that before he was a Yonko during the Whitebeard War. Blackbeard has clearly become stronger since the Whitebeard War if he has become a Yonko. The Whitebeard War was two years ago according to the current timeline."It's understood that he wants to be more powerful, but if he really is the strongest man in the world, than why bother? The only reason for him hunting more devil fruits is because he doesn't feel that his power is strong enough. The main reason, I believe, that Blackbeard went devil fruit hunting was to make sure that he could have enough power to beat Shanks. Especially because that seems to be his only competitor."This is conjecture that has no basis from what I know of One Piece. It is only known that Blackbeard absorbed the powers of Whitebeard. Who has Blackbeard gone hunting? Also who said Blackbeard was the strongest in the world? Shanks is Blackbeard's only competitor? What proof does Pro have to make that claim?"I think he's powerful enough to be a yonko, but I don't think that's enough justification to say that he is the same level."That is Pro's opinion and I will stick to my case on this one."It is also stated by the gorosei that Shanks is one of the few that is capable of defeating Blackbeard."In what chapter or episode was this stated?