Canelo Alvarez has given his fullest answer yet on why he never fought David Benavidez, and it doubles as a closing argument for why he never will.
Sitting down with Ariel Helwani, the Mexican star pointed to size and timing, then went further and questioned whether Benavidez can carry Mexican boxing at all.
“[David Benavidez] is a heavyweight fighting at [cruiserweight]. It’s not fair,” Canelo said. “When I became undisputed, if he had been a champion at that point, that would’ve been the right time to make the fight, but he wasn’t. He’s not Mexican. It’s different. He’s Mexican American.”
The Timing Argument
Canelo’s position rests on a rule he says governed his whole run at 168 pounds: he fought champions.
“When we were both at 168, I fought every champion in that division,” he has said of the period. “Why did he never fight those champions? If he was a champion at that point, I’d fight him. My goal was being undisputed.”
Benavidez held the WBC interim title during that stretch and was the mandatory challenger, while Canelo defended against Gennadiy Golovkin, John Ryder and Jermell Charlo. Rather than keep waiting on a fight that was not being made, Benavidez moved up, first to light heavyweight and then to cruiserweight, where he most recently faced Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA and WBO belts. Canelo said he did not watch that fight.
That upward move is now the reason Canelo gives for the fight being impossible. Benavidez waited, then left, and leaving is what disqualifies him.
The Heritage Line
The sharper moment came when Helwani suggested Benavidez could be the next Mexican superstar. Canelo shut it down immediately, drawing a distinction between Mexican and Mexican American. Benavidez was born in the United States, has leaned into his Mexican roots throughout his career and fights under the nickname the Mexican Monster.
Canelo added that Ryan Garcia is the bigger Mexican American star of the two.
He was unmoved by the suggestion that the unmade fight damages his record. “I’ve always been in that situation, so it’s nothing strange for me,” he said, listing Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather, Callum Smith and Golovkin as previous versions of the same conversation. “Right now, it’s Benavidez.”
What’s Next
Canelo returns on October 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, against Christian Mbilli, challenging for the WBC super middleweight title. He also told Helwani he wants a rematch with Terence Crawford.
Benavidez has not responded publicly to the comments.
