Mike Tyson, the once-feared heavyweight champion, has called out Canelo Alvarez for not accepting a fight with David Benavidez. Tyson believes Canelo's reluctance shows a lack of courage and disrespects the legacy of Mexican boxing.
In the late 1980s, Tyson stormed through the heavyweight division with unwavering intent. He won his first 19 fights inside six rounds and became the youngest heavyweight champion at just 21 years old. His power was next-level, and his reputation was fearsome and fearless.
Now, Tyson has turned his attention to Canelo Alvarez, the current multi-weight champion who holds three of the four major super middleweight titles. Canelo's been getting heat for not agreeing to fight David Benavidez, who many see as the toughest test in the division. There's even talk that Canelo turned down a $60 million deal for the fight.
In an interview with Marca, Tyson didn't hold back his thoughts on Canelo's decision:
"I can't believe what I just heard. What's wrong with Canelo? Is he afraid of losing? Doesn't he want to give the fans the fight they want to see? Don't you want to give the fans the fight they want to see? Do you not respect the legacy of the great Mexican champions who faced the best regardless of the money?"
Tyson went on to say:
"This is a shame for boxing and for Mexico. If I were him, I would accept the fight with Benavidez and show the world that he is the best. But it seems he doesn't have the courage to do it; It is a shame because he has a lot of talent but he lacks heart."
Canelo's next fight will be against Edgar Berlanga, where he'll defend his super-middleweight belts. He's said he'll consider fighting Benavidez after that, but only for a whopping $200 million purse.
While Tyson's criticizing Canelo for ducking tough fights, he's got a controversial bout of his own coming up. The 58-year-old will face Jake Paul, who's not even 30, in an 8-round fight on Netflix in November. The boxing world's got plenty to talk about, that's for sure.