The long-anticipated showdown between Saul Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez has been a major talking point in the boxing world for years but 34-year-old doesn’t seem to want the fight, leaving the legendary Iron Mike Tyson stunned.
With Benavidez boasting an undefeated record of 30-0, including 24 knockouts, fans have been eager to see the two super middleweights square off in the ring. However, Alvarez has consistently dismissed the possibility of fighting Benavidez.
It’s a decision that has led to widespread criticism from both fans and boxing legends alike, including the ex-undisputed heavyweight champion of the world as he expresses his confusion over Canelo’s reluctance.
“It looks that way to everyone,” Tyson told the Come and Talk 2 Me podcast of Canelo’s actions. “He’s not going to fight that guy. He doesn’t want to fight him.
“It’s a great fight for him. Don’t you want to fight him? I don’t know, we’d have to talk to Canelo about that.”
Despite the ongoing pressure, Canelo immediate focus is on his upcoming fight against Cuban boxer William Scull on May 3 in Saudi Arabia. Alvarez has the opportunity to reclaim the IBF super-middleweight belt back after being stripped for failing to fulfil mandatories.
Benavidez laughs off Canelo’s reason for avoiding him
Beyond the Scull fight, several big-name opponents have been floated for Canelo’s future, including Terence “Bud” Crawford, and light-heavyweights Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. However, David Benavidez’s name remains absent from discussions.
This ongoing avoidance has only fueled frustration among boxing fans, who view Benavidez as the most deserving challenger in the division but what exactly is the Guadalajarense’s reason for the snub?
For his part, Benavidez has been vocal about his desire to face Alvarez in the ring, having held the mandatory challenger position for Canelo’s WBC super middleweight title since 2023. And the Arizona native has repeatedly called for the fight to happen.
However, Alvarez has stated that he does not appreciate how Benavidez has approached him, implying that the challenger’s aggressive attitude has played a role in his reluctance to accept the fight.
“I would love to fight Canelo,” Benavidez told reporters after beating David Morrell. “It would be a massive, massive fight.
“But Canelo says he has other things and he says I’m being too mean, and the way I’m approaching him, so I guess I gotta work on my attitude.”
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