Canelo Explains Why He Won’t Fight Benavidez – ‘He Is Very Disrespectful’

Canelo Alvarez has explained why he has been so reluctant to fight David Benavidez. 

Canelo is preparing to fight William Scull in May for the chance to become undisputed at 168 pounds for the second time. A win would add Scull’s IBF title, which was stripped from Canelo after he chose to box Edgar Berlanga rather than facing Scull, who was his mandatory. During Benavidez’s time as a super middleweight, he was the WBC mandatory for Canelo for more than two years. The WBC did not enforce the mandatory nor strip Canelo, meaning Benavidez never got to fight. 

The Mexican Monster ultimately moved up to 175 pounds, where he is the current WBC Light Heavyweight Champion. The Mexican Monster still has ambitions of becoming undisputed, although his focus is now at 175 pounds. Canelo previously said he wanted $150-200 million to fight Benavidez. Benavidez stated that Canelo was offered a fixed purse of $70 million.

Benavidez On Canelo

“I knew one day people were gonna ask for that fight and I feel like it’s amazing how much attention this fight is getting, and I think even winning more right now the more he’s putting it off. They offered him $70 million to fight me that’s before pay-per-view, you guys can call Al Haymon and ask him that, imagine after pay-per-view,” Benavidez stated 

This created the perception that he was ducking the Mexican Monster by choosing less riskier opponents. He ultimately chose to face Edgar Berlanga instead, beating him in a one-sided unanimous decision. While the fight received a lot of backlash during the build-up, Canelo still sold 650,000 PPVS. The fight also brought in a live gate of $17 million, showing he can still produce big numbers regardless of who he faces. If he beats Scull, he will be on course to fight Terence Crawford in September in another mega bout. 

Canelo On Benavidez

However, Crawford is moving up two weight classes from 154 pounds, meaning he poses less danger than someone like Benavidez. Canelo addressed his reason for not choosing Benavidez, stating The Mexican has disrespected him. Boxing is a sport where trash talk can either work for you or against you, depending on how the other fighter takes it. Canelo’s following comments suggest that his standing of Benavidez is even less than what it used to be.

“You know, I don’t really know how to answer this question, but I think the way he talks, he thinks he’s Superman, right? And he is very disrespectful—not just with me, with everybody. And he’s accomplished nothing. He’s not even a champion, and he’s not even in my weight class already. And you know, it’s a lot of things there that don’t make sense. And plus, at this point in my career, I can do whatever I want. And you guys can’t take anything away from my career, from my legacy, from anything. Because, you know, if you see my résumé, I fought everybody out there—all the elite fighters out there,” Canelo said