Benavidez Blasts Canelo Over Mbilli Performance

David Benavidez says Canelo Alvarez should be doing more inside the ring given what he earns per fight.

Speaking to Fight Hub TV, as reported by Bad Left Hook, Benavidez took issue with how Alvarez approached his weekend win over Christian Mbilli. The Mexican Bandit feels that a fighter commanding purses in the forty to fifty million range owes fans a more aggressive showing, particularly against opponents he clearly outclasses. Benavidez told the outlet that instead of hunting a knockout, Alvarez spent too much time sitting back and waiting for counter opportunities.

Benavidez On Canelo's Cautious Approach Against Mbilli

The criticism centered on Alvarez's reluctance to press the action despite holding obvious technical advantages. Benavidez pointed to the Caleb Plant fight as an example of what Alvarez can do when he decides to apply sustained pressure and use his full defensive toolkit. Against Mbilli, according to Benavidez, that urgency never materialized even though the opponent appeared tentative throughout.

"There's just a lot of waiting going on," Benavidez said. He argued that a fighter of Alvarez's caliber should be chasing stoppages from the opening bell through twelve rounds when facing lesser opposition, invoking Julio Cesar Chavez as the model for how to capitalize on an overmatched foe.

Benavidez made clear he considers Alvarez the superior fighter with more tools at his disposal. His complaint was not about ability but about application, suggesting those skills need to be deployed with more intent when the paycheck reaches eight figures.

Alvarez won a clear decision over Mbilli but did not score a stoppage. No rematch has been announced.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — ‘Just a lot of waiting going on’: David Benavidez critiques Canelo Alvarez’s performance against Christian Mbilli