By Sean Jones: Canelo Alvarez says the unbeaten, highly ranked David Benavidez brings him nothing by fighting him and that he’s already beaten the #1 super middleweight in Callum Smith.
Alvarez seems to be ignoring the many boxing fans who have been calling for him to take on the undefeated Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs).
Instead of giving the fans what they wanted, Canelo wasted the last three years of his career with his superficial goal of becoming the undisputed 168-lb champion by beating three British fighters and one American, none of which were rated highly by hardcore fans.
If Canelo had listened to his fans, he could have faced Benavidez to try and show that he’s the best at super middleweight rather than investing three years of his life beating obscure paper champions that brought nothing to the table.
Canelo says he already beat the best fighters at 168 with his victories over the following champions:
- Rocky Fielding
- Callum Smith
- Billy Joe Saunders
- Caleb Plant
Regrettably, many boxing fans viewed that lackluster bunch as paper variety and not the genuine article. That gang of four was seen as an example of how clever promoters can average fighters and skillfully maneuver them into capturing world titles against weak opposition.
If you look at the fighters those former 168lb champions defeated to win their belts; you could be less than impressed.
Canelo claims he already beat the BEST at 168
“I beat the No.1 fighter at 168. It was Callum Smith,” Canelo said to World Boxing News. “Next, Billy Joe Saunders, second. Next, the third one (Plant).
“So, I beat all the best at 168. They [Rocky Fielding, Callum, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant] were all undefeated. I beat all the best at 168, and now there are people saying you need to fight this one — like always.
“I beat the best champion at 168,” said Canelo in referring to Callum Smith. “Then they say, ‘he’s scared of him’ or ‘he’s scared of that guy.’
Fans don’t agree that the British former WBA 168-lb champion Callum was ever the #1 fighter in the division. We heard Callum’s promoter Eddy Hearn hype him as the #1 fighter in the division after his win over a one-armed George Groves, who was coming off a shoulder injury in his previous fight.
But that win by Callum didn’t prove he was the #1 fighter at 168 in a true sense. It just proved that he could beat a one-armed Groves, who looks useless after the shoulder injury he sustained in his previous fight against Chris Eubank Jr.
Callum’s real talent or lack thereof was revealed in his controversial 12 round unanimous decision win over John ‘The Gorilla’ Ryder in November 2019 in Liverpool, England. Ryder exposed Callum, showing he has no inside game and can’t handle being pressured.
The way that Callum performed against Ryder, he was nowhere near the #1 fighter at 168. If anything, Callum was more bottom 10, below talents like Beterbiev, David Morrell Jr, Carlos Gongora, Caleb Plant, Gabe Rosado, and Danny Jacobs.
Alvarez says he’s NOT ducking Benavidez
“I am not scared about anything. I don’t avoid anybody. But what does that guy (Benavidez) bring to me? Nothing. Nothing. Mention a champion they fight before. How many?” said Canelo in making excuses why he shouldn’t be required to listen to the boxing public in facing Benavidez.
According to Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs), he’s not ducking the former two-time WBC 168-lb champion Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs), but unfortunately for him, the boxing public disagrees with him. They view Canelo as DUCKING the talented 24-year-old Benavidez, and they feel he’s been doing this for many years since he first moved up to 168 in 2018.
Surprisingly, Canelo told World Boxing News that he wasn’t aware that his coach/manager Eddy Reynoso had picked out WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu as his next opponent. But now that he knows this is what he wants for him, he’ll be a good warrior and face the 34-year-old Makabu.
The fans aren’t impressed with this opponent’s choice for Canelo, and it doesn’t matter that he’s pushing the responsibility of choosing Makabu to his eagle-eyed trainer Reynoso. Canelo could have been assertive and told Reynoso that he has NO interest in fighting the little-known Makabu (28-2, 25 KOs), who the fans view as the WEAKEST link among the cruiserweight champions.
Fans would have been more impressed by Canelo fighting at cruiserweight if his eagle-eyed Reynoso had picked out cruiserweight champions Lawrence Okolie or Mairis Briedis as his targets to try and become a five-division world champion.