David Benavidez has fired back at Canelo Alvarez after the Mexican superstar's recent comments. Alvarez said he didn't want to fight Benavidez because he lacks major accomplishments and world champion belts. He also called Benavidez "completely disrespectful."
Benavidez, who's undefeated in 30 fights, didn't hold back in his response. In an interview with Mystic Zach, he criticized Canelo's choice of opponents.
"We would give the fans so much excitement, but Canelo wanted to go in another direction. He wanted to fight someone coming up from 147 pounds, a smaller guy."
Canelo is getting ready for his next fight on May 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He'll face Will Scull for the IBF super middleweight title. Scull, a Cuban fighter, won the vacant belt by beating Vladimir Shishkin.
Benavidez feels Canelo is avoiding him because he's a dangerous opponent. He said:
"It motivates me more because now I know they're downplaying me for a reason... I had a feeling these people weren't ignoring me publicly for no reason. Now it's clear how good I really am."
Alvarez has been the king of the 168-pound division and has won titles across three weight classes. But his decision to fight Scull instead of Benavidez has raised eyebrows.
There's talk that Canelo might fight Terence Crawford in September 2025. Crawford fights in lower weight classes, which adds to Benavidez's frustration about Canelo choosing smaller opponents.
The back-and-forth between Canelo and Benavidez makes their potential fight seem less likely. If Canelo does end up fighting Crawford next year, fans might have to wait even longer to see him face Benavidez in the ring.
