David Benavidez, the two-time WBC super middleweight champion, has made a surprising U-turn on his long-standing pursuit of a fight with Canelo Alvarez. The 28-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona, recently declared he won't return to the 168-pound division, effectively ruling out a potential showdown with the pound-for-pound star.
For years, Benavidez pushed for a fight with Canelo at super middleweight. But after his February 1 bout, he's changed his tune. In an interview with FightHub TV, Benavidez stated firmly:
"I'm not going back to 168. I don't care if Canelo wanted to fight me and tells me to go down to 168, I don't care about that money, I don't care about none of that."
This declaration comes on the heels of Benavidez's 30th professional win, a unanimous decision victory over David Morrell. The fight saw Benavidez retain his WBC 'Interim' light heavyweight title and claim the WBA 'regular' 175-pound belt. Despite being floored in the penultimate round, Benavidez won on all three judges' scorecards.
Meanwhile, Canelo Alvarez continues to dominate the super middleweight division. He captured the undisputed championship in 2021 and has successfully defended his titles four times against notable opponents. However, Canelo was recently stripped of his IBF world title after opting for a fight with Edgar Berlanga over his mandatory challenger.
The IBF title vacancy has since been filled, with William Scull beating Vladimir Shishkin for the strap in October.
Benavidez's decision to stay at light heavyweight and his newfound disinterest in facing Canelo, even for a substantial payday, marks a significant shift in the boxing landscape. It leaves fans wondering what's next for both fighters and how this will impact the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions moving forward.
