Canelo Alvarez‘s precondition to fight David Benavidez has sparked a contentious debate. It shows no signs of cooling down anytime soon. Rather, a new twist finds it taking off from American shores. Days after criticizing the undisputed champion for setting the prerequisite of nearly $200 million, David Benavidez has taken a surprising turn by seemingly knocking on the doors of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, adding an unexpected layer to the unfolding story.

Months of hopes and talks to effect a match between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez proved futile. The former opted to headline the year’s first fight against Jaime Munguia instead. The two will face off on the Cinco de May weekend, May 4, at the T-Mobile Arena. On the other hand, seeing no point in waiting, ‘The Mexican Monster’ too decided to test greener pastures. He will reportedly fight Oleksandr Gvozdyk for an interim lightweight title. The latest controversy ignited at the Alvarez-Munguia kick-off press conference in Los Angeles. Addressing a bunch of reporters, the Mexican champion stated a condition precedent.

David Benavidez Seeks Resolution Amidst High Stakes

Canelo Alvarez said if a promoter, or for that matter, one he is currently working with, comes with a purse to the tune of $150–$200 million, then perhaps he will look into fighting David Benavidez. Otherwise, the interim super middleweight champion doesn’t contribute anything significant to the match. In response, ‘The Mexican Monster’ asked, why should Alvarez seek that much when he has nothing additional to offer.

Some time ago, David Benavidez sought HE Turki Alalshikh’s intervention. He requested the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Saudi Arabia, to make the fight happen in the Middle Eastern country. “@turkialalshik, let’s bring the biggest and most exciting fight to Saudi Arabia. This will be the biggest Mexican vs. Mexican American fight in the history of boxing, and what better place to do it than The Kingdom for the entire world to see, ” said Benavidez.

He mentioned chasing the bout for legacy. ‘The Mexican Monster’ further confirmed that in case he suffered a loss, he would donate his entire paycheck to a children’s charity that HE Alalshikh recommends. Even if he emerges victorious, a substantial portion of his earnings would go towards feeding hungry children. Then he tagged the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), the WBC, and its president, Mauricio Sulaiman. The Arizonian said, “I’m a champion of the people and will continue to fight the best! I stand by my words!”

Besides his spouse, Karina Silva, well-known figures from the combat sports world, such as Henry Cejudo and Zab Judah, shared their thoughts in the comments box.

Saudi Arabia: Boxing’s New Frontier

Saudi Arabia reportedly hosted its first professional boxing match on September 28, 2018, between Callum Smith and George Groves. Since then, the country’s reputation as a premier boxing destination has surged significantly. Especially during the last few years, it hosted some of the biggest boxing matches. Under the able leadership of HE Turki Alalshikh, the nation has emerged as a key player in the world of boxing.

Hence, it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Given the kind of figure, Canelo Alvarez quoted, David Benavidez reached out to the authorities, whom he believes have the wherewithal to get things going in today’s boxing.

Read More: Mexican Boxing Legend Says Canelo Alvarez Needs David Benavidez to ‘Push’ Him to Greatness

Is that a step in the right direction from David Benavidez? Does an Alvarez-Benavidez square-up stand a higher chance of making it to Saudi Arabia?

Also Read: “It’s Very Possible”: WBC President Suggests Intervening in Canelo Alvarez and ‘Mandatory’ David Benavidez Situation