Canelo may pick Benavidez over Crawford for money

Canelo Alvarez recently emerged victorious against Jaime Munguia and is now setting his sights on his next potential opponents. Eddie Hearn disclosed that Alvarez prefers David Benavidez over Terence Crawford for future bouts, with demands ranging from $150 million to $200 million specified for a match with Benavidez.

Canelo Alvarez's latest win by unanimous decision against Jaime Munguia marked a significant moment as it was Munguia's first career drop. This victory at a recent event shown live internationally brought Alvarez’s record to 43-0, underscoring his dominance in the boxing world. Yet, attention swiftly turned to who the Mexican champion would fight next.

Eddie Hearn provided insights into Canelo’s tactical choice in an interview with Fight Hub TV. He explained that fighting Crawford wouldn’t enhance Alvarez's reputation significantly, because Crawford would have to move up multiple weight classes. “Alvarez would rather face Benavidez than Crawford.”

“As Saul has made it very, very clear – money is pretty much the only motivator for him right now. I guess the challenge as well, but he was pretty honest in that respect wasn’t he, in that if the money is right then he will do anything. I think that if the money is right, honestly, he will fight anyone. I don’t think that Crawford is a guy that he would necessarily be picking. I think that he would pick Benavidez over Crawford because he knows he would get the credit for that victory, whereas he might not for fighting a guy that is three or four divisions lower.”

While Canelo eyes his next challenge, David Benavidez is gearing up for a fight with Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. This match serves as an undercard bout for the Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin fight, shaping up to be a major event in the boxing calendar.

Plans are also in motion for a possible dramatic showdown between Canelo and Crawford by year’s end. Event planner Turki Al-Alshikh mentioned this potential battle, noting that it would require Crawford to jump up three weight classes—an ambitious and demanding endeavor.