Dogli Wilberforce
It’s the same story, just louder this time. David Benavidez isn’t backing off, and his latest comments aimed at Canelo Alvarez are easily his most direct yet. In a fresh interview, the unbeaten contender didn’t dance around it. He questioned Canelo’s willingness to fight him and made it clear he still sees that matchup as unfinished business.
“He’s scared, he has no balls. That’s what it is. I give Canelo all the respect… but I was the #1 contender in two weight classes for a long, long time.”
That tension has been building for years. Benavidez, now 30-0 with 24 knockouts, has consistently been near the top of the super middleweight division. At one point, he held the WBC interim title and sat as a mandatory challenger, yet the fight never materialized.
“He has shown that he doesn’t want to fight me. It’s really a shame because this is a fight everybody wants to see.”
David Benavidez vs Canelo Alvarez: A Fight That Never Came Together
On paper, this was the fight. Two Mexican stars. Same division. High stakes. Massive fan interest.
But boxing rarely follows the script.
Canelo Alvarez, now 35, has built a career on big names and calculated moves. He became a four-division world champion and one of the sport’s biggest pay-per-view draws. Even so, Benavidez believes he was consistently overlooked despite earning his position.
The situation shifted even more after Canelo lost his undisputed super middleweight title to Terence Crawford last year. That defeat changed the division and, in some ways, the urgency around a Benavidez fight.
Now, with Canelo Alvarez planning a return later this year and reportedly ruling out both Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol, the chances of that long-awaited clash look slimmer than ever.
Benavidez Moves On But Doesn’t Let Go
Here’s where things get interesting. While still calling out Canelo Alvarez, Benavidez isn’t waiting around anymore.
He’s moving up.
The 28-year-old is set to face Gilberto Ramirez at cruiserweight on May 2, a serious step into a heavier and more dangerous division. It’s not just a stay-busy fight either. Ramirez holds major titles, and a win would instantly legitimize Benavidez at 200 pounds.
Benavidez even claims he tried to make the Canelo fight happen financially, saying he offered a $150 million purse that went nowhere. Whether that number holds up or not, it shows how far he was willing to go to secure the bout.
Still, the tone hasn’t changed.
“I believe in myself and my skills 100%. If he says he’s the baddest man on the planet, why not give the fans what they want to see?”
The Window Might Be Closing
At this point, it feels like one of those fights that lives more in debate than reality.
Benavidez is moving up to a different weight class. Canelo Alvarez is picking his path carefully. The timing that once made this fight perfect is starting to slip.
Promoters know it. Fans definitely feel it.
And if Benavidez wins at cruiserweight, the conversation might shift completely. He won’t be chasing Canelo anymore. He’ll be building something new.
Still, until both fighters hang it up, this rivalry won’t fully disappear. Too much history. Too much talk. And honestly, too many people still want to see it happen.
