USA Today via Reuters
Nov 5, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canelo Alvarez weighs in for his super middleweight championship boxing match against Caleb Plant (not pictured) at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Nov 5, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canelo Alvarez weighs in for his super middleweight championship boxing match against Caleb Plant (not pictured) at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
A few days back, Canelo Alvarez captivated every fight fan’s attention with his exemplary win over Caleb Plant in their undisputed super-middleweight title fight. In that mega contest, Canelo turned the tide in his favor with his brilliant fight IQ and power. With a gratifying win, he also became the first man in history to claim all the 168-pound belts.
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Just after a few days after his undisputed title win, Alvarez confirmed his move up to the cruiserweight roster. He will challenge the WBC cruiserweight champ, Ilunga Makabu, in his return to the ring in May 2022.
With this move, Alvarez’s potential fight with David Benavidez seems unlikely. The undisputed champ addressed this juncture in a recent interaction with the media.
Per Michael Benson, he said, “Right now I can do whatever I want. I faced all the 168lbs world champions, I took the title from all of them. Now I do what I want.”
Canelo Alvarez asked why he's opting to fight Ilunga Makabu at cruiserweight, rather than David Benavidez: "Right now I can do whatever I want. I faced all the 168lbs world champions, I took the title from all of them. Now I do what I want."
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) November 18, 2021
David Benavidez is supremely hungry to get his hands on Canelo Alvarez. He recently beat Kyrone Davis to prove his mettle in the 168-pound division. With that, his aspiration to fight Canelo has increased even more.
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‘El Bandera Roja’, over the past few years, has been assertive about facing Canelo. This seems like a legacy fight for the undefeated star. Unfortunately, he may have to bide his time, as this looks unlikely.
Is Canelo Alvarez really avoiding David Benavidez?
Canelo Alvarez is in a league of his own. Hence, he takes on the fights he thinks will add up to his stellar career and legacy. Right now, he is aiming to emulate Floyd Mayweather by winning a world title in a fifth division.
USA Today via Reuters
Nov 6, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canelo Alvarez (gold/white trunks) and Caleb Plant (white/gray trunks) box during their undisputed super middleweight world championship boxing match at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
While that is one way of looking at it, another angle can be that he is avoiding a defense against Benavidez. However, as Benavidez isn’t officially a mandatory, one cannot say that Alvarez is avoiding the fight as he has cleaned out the division.
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