For boxing fans it is time to start resigning themselves: a dream fight between world champion Canelo Álvarez and the dangerous David Benavídez will not take place.
At least that’s what Canelo said Tuesday afternoon in Los Angeles when speaking with reporters after his first face-to-face meeting with his compatriot Jaime Munguía, whom he has granted the opportunity to challenge him on May 4.
Álvarez and Munguía will hold the first fight between Mexicans in Las Vegas for an undisputed world title in the era of the four recognized organizations. Although the duel between countrymen is attractive, it is not the battle that the general public wanted.
David Benavídez, 27 years old and with a record of 28-0 (24 KOs), has earned enough merit to challenge Saúl Álvarez. However, Canelo himself (60-2-2) has clearly eliminated that possibility with a forceful comment.
“He brings nothing to the table for me, just 25 extra pounds,” Canelo said when speaking to boxing media on a red carpet at a Beverly Hills hotel where the media event was held to promote his fight with Munguía.
“I don’t think that fight will happen,” Canelo Álvarez said to another communicator who asked him about facing David Benavídez, who is the interim WBC super middleweight champion. Álvarez, of course, is the owner of the regular title of that organization and the other three (WBA, WBO and IBF).
But Canelo, when elaborating on his position regarding a fight with the tremendous Mexican-American puncher, said: “If a promoter I work with comes to me and tells me he offers 150 or 200 million dollars, I will fight tomorrow. “That’s the only reason I would fight him.”.
It should be remembered that the only time someone earned a purse of at least $150 million in a boxing fight against another boxer was when Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao faced each other in 2015. Mayweather earned a final purse of around $250 million. of dollars, according to reports, while the Filipino would have taken close to $150 million.
Mayweather reportedly earned around $275 million for his 2017 fight against mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor.
In addition to putting scandal figures in the sky to get into the ring with David Benavídez, Canelo also pointed out that this “is no one to offer him a bag” attractive for him to face.
And the man from Guadalajara added about the fight that many ask him to accept and that today seems dead: “I don’t have to fight anyone. I no longer have to prove anything to anyone. “I’ve been doing everything in my career.”
Eddy Reynoso, trainer, manager and best friend of Canelo, responded to the question of whether it would be necessary for Benavídez’s team to apologize to them so that the fight could be made.
“We are not interested in what they say or what they don’t say or whether they apologize,” Reynoso responded Tuesday at the news conference in Beverly Hills. “Let them make their career, we are making ours, and may it go well for them, just as it has gone for us.”
Jaime Munguía, Canelo’s rival on May 4, considered that the undisputed super middleweight champion gave him the opportunity because he has expressed respect for him.
“We have been very respectful of him, of his career, of everything he has done. I think he preferred to give us the opportunity rather than give it to Benavídez.who has been talking bad things about him all the time.”
Keep reading:
– How did Jaime Munguía get the fight of his life with Canelo? With respect and admiration
– Óscar de la Hoya says he doesn’t understand why Canelo doesn’t want to face David Benavídez
– Promoter trusts that the WBC will finally strip Canelo of the scepter if Benavídez is not measured