David Benavidez Finally Gives Up on Canelo Alvarez Fight
The cruiserweight contender says he can confidently say the Canelo fight is never going to happen.
David Benavidez has officially closed the book on the most talked-about fight that never happened. In an interview with Brian Custer, the former super middleweight contender said he can "say with confidence that that fight is never going to happen."
Benavidez spent years calling out Canelo Alvarez, demanding the fight that boxing fans wanted to see. The two never met in the ring, and now, with Benavidez fighting two weight classes above 168 pounds at cruiserweight, the window has shut for good.
"I don't want to keep calling somebody out that doesn't want to fight," Benavidez told Custer. He praised Canelo despite the frustration, calling him "a great fighter" and "a legend," adding that he hopes to become a great Mexican legend himself one day.
Benavidez has not competed at super middleweight since 2023. He is currently preparing to face Michal Cieslak at 200 pounds in a cruiserweight bout scheduled for December 5 on DAZN pay-per-view. Beyond Cieslak, names like Jai Opetaia, Artur Beterbiev and even heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk have been floated as potential opponents.
The Benavidez vs. Canelo saga was one of boxing's longest running will-they-won't-they stories. In the end, they won't. Benavidez is moving forward and building his legacy at cruiserweight instead of waiting on a phone call that was never coming.
I respect Benavidez for finally saying it out loud, but he should have said it two years ago. Everybody with eyes could see Canelo was never going to take that fight. The man avoided Benavidez like a toll booth.
The real question now is whether Benavidez can build something at cruiserweight that matters. Cieslak is a name, but it is not the kind of fight that gets casual fans off the couch. Opetaia would be a real test. Beterbiev would be a war. Usyk would be insanity. Any of those fights would do more for his legacy than another year of begging Canelo.
Benavidez has the talent to be special. He always did. The Canelo chapter is closed. Time to write a better one.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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