Benavidez: “The fight isn’t happening because Canelo wanted $150 million”
‘The Mexican Monster’ opened up about why he and Canelo Alvarez didn’t reach an agreement to step into the ring.
The David Benavidez-Saul Alvarez soap opera hasn’t ended. The Mexican Monster revealed that Canelo asked for a purse of $150 million to make the fight happen, which ended up frustrating any agreement between both sides.
After demolishing Demetrius Andrade in November, Benavidez was more than ever considered Canelo’s biggest threat, taking Dmitry Bivol out of the equation, and it seemed to be the perfect time for both men to meet inside the ring.
However, things didn’t play out the way Benavidez’s team expected and the Guadalajara native chose to fight his fellow countryman Jaime Munguia, in what seems to be the safer option for Canelo.
With the clash not happening and Alvarez denying being afraid to take on Benavidez, there have been many rumors about why the fight wasn’t being made. Many believe Canelo is afraid of fighting Benavidez, as the undefeated WBC interim super middleweight champion is younger, hungry, and has proven to be a problem with his relentless pressure and combinations.
Benavidez blames Canelo and money
Benavidez and Canelo have been ‘trading shots’ on social media and in interviews when asked about their situation and a potential showdown, with Benavidez saying Canelo is avoiding him and Alvarez stating that he has no fear facing him, adding he doesn’t need to fight David.
Canelo is aware that he’s the cash cow of boxing and his status allows him to cherry-pick his opponents and to ask for big amounts of money to make fights possible.
In an interview on The Fresh and Fit Podcast, Benavidez blamed Canelo for asking an amount of $150 million to make the fight happen, something he criticized:
“With Canelo, it’s that bulls**t. Oh, he needs to be respectful. I won’t bow my knee to anybody because I’ve earned my shot. This fight isn’t happening because he wants $150 million”.
The Phoenix-bred talent added that the true reason why Canelo has chosen to fight Munguia instead of him is because he’s afraid:
“That’s telling me he’s scared. I don’t think that Canelo fight is going to happen, so I’ve got to move on”.
Benavidez will face Oleksandr Gvozdyk next, while Bivol will take on Artur Beterbiev in what is expected to be one of the greatest matches of the year. If the Canelo fight doesn’t happen, Benavidez’s priority will be trying to face the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev bout, as the undisputed light heavyweight crown will be on the line.