Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs), the reigning undisputed super middleweight champion of the world, has been making waves in the boxing world with his impressive performances and multiple championship titles, currently savouring the unanimous decision win over Jermell Charlo last September.
However, there’s one opponent he seems to be avoiding: David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs). The question on everyone’s mind is: Why is Canelo refusing to step into the ring with Benavidez?
When Canelo joined the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), fight fans were excited about some new potential matchups for the Mexican maestro. The plan seemed straightforward: a clash with either of the Charlo twins, Jermall or Jermell, followed by a revenge fight. But there was another name that had fans buzzing—David Benavidez.
The Benavidez fight – a risk to Canelo Alvarez’s legacy?
Known as “The Mexican Monster,”, Benavidez has been a force to reckon with in the super-middleweight division. His explosive style, power punches, and relentless aggression have earned him a reputation as one of the most dangerous fighters in the ring.
The former two time WBC super middleweight champ and the current interim champion of the council, has remained undefeated in his professional career, and his recent victory over Demetrius Andrade back in November- marking the second defense of his interim WBC title, solidified his position as the WBC mandatory challenger.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Canelo has faced criticism throughout his career. Some fans dislike him and have never hesitated to voice their opinions. They want to witness the unthinkable: the “Face of Boxing” brought to his knees by Benavidez. They crave the spectacle of the cruiserweight-sized 27-year-old Benavidez crushing Canelo, relishing his demise.
But Canelo isn’t one to bow to public pressure. He’s strategic, calculating, and fiercely protective of his legacy, and there are reasons why he might be avoiding the Benavidez showdown.
As pointed out by former two-weight world champion and Hall of Famer Andre Ward, Canelo knows that a loss to Benavidez could tarnish his legacy. The risk of defeat outweighs the reward of victory, especially when he’s eyeing other weight divisions.
“Absolutely,” Ward told The Breakfast Club when asked whether Canelo fears risking his reputation by squaring off against Benavidez. “Canelo fans regularly call me a hater, but I am telling the truth. When he fought Kovalev, Kovalev was cooked. He wasn’t ‘The Krusher.’ He wasn’t the undefeated guy. He had lost that. I’m not knocking the hustle, but you lose me when you start saying, ‘I’m the best fighter in the world.’”
“You lose me when you don’t fight the best but you say everybody else has got to fight the best. Canelo is a really good fighter, but you don’t know how good you are until you fight the other best,” he added. [H/T Boxingscene.com]
While fans clamor for the Canelo Alvarez-David Benavidez clash, Canelo remains elusive. Whether it’s fear, strategy, or simply a desire to defy the haters, one thing is clear: the boxing world eagerly awaits the day these two warriors finally collide in the ring.