The tale between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez exemplifies how prospective megafights can unravel behind the scenes in the complex world of boxing negotiations, which is full of twists, turns, and missed opportunities. With Benavidez so dominant as the WBC interim super middleweight champion, a bout between the two looked nearly inevitable, creating an enticing proposition for Alvarez. Nevertheless, neither Benavidez nor his supporters were able to witness the bout that would have been a watershed point in his career.
Plenty of boxing fans had their hearts set on a showdown between Canelo Alvarez—a four-division world champion—and David Benavidez—one of the most intriguing super middleweights—as a possible bout. It seems like Alvarez and his camp were never interested in facing off against the youthful challenger, Benavidez, despite Benavidez’s stellar record and two-year tenure as the WBC interim super middleweight champion.
Benavidez had been open about wanting to face Alvarez for a long time; he’s 27 years old. It seemed that Alvarez had other ideas, despite his calls, since he frequently picked opponents who fit better with his plan to ensure his legacy. This strategic manoeuvring left Benavidez and his team bewildered, wondering what else they might have done to get the battle that would have sent Benavidez to the top of his sport.
The chance to fight Alvarez did materialize, but under far from ideal circumstances, according to Jose Benavidez Sr., David Benavidez’s father and trainer. Benavidez Sr. told the story to Fight Hub TV of how the Alvarez camp came up with an offer as they were negotiating a fight with Jaime Munguia. But there was no wiggle space in the conditions; they would get the minimum wage.
While we’re negotiating to battle Munguia, they approach us, you know,” Benavidez Sr. remembers saying. “Sure, Canelo will fight David,” they announce. However, the bare minimum is what we will pay you. That’s all. “You shouldn’t beg for money.” With the words “I didn’t even care,” Benavidez Sr. expressed his eagerness to take advantage of the chance despite the unsavory financial circumstances. Our goal was to seize the chance.
It appeared, though, that the offer was more of a ploy than an attempt at serious bargaining. The Benavidez squad was left in uncertainty when the Alvarez camp failed to follow up after Benavidez Sr. agreed to the stipulations. Because of this, Benavidez Sr. thought that the financial condition was just an excuse for Alvarez to sidestep a dangerous opponent and give the impression that he had reached out to him. After losing his dance partner to Alvarez, Benavidez decided to compete in the light heavyweight division (175 lbs) instead. Munguia eventually fought Alvarez.
With the smoke cleared, it was apparent that Alvarez’s team had successfully marginalized Benavidez. Alvarez persisted in forging his own path, picking fights that would help his reputation and career the most, according to him and his camp. Alvarez is still one of the most marketable names in boxing, and he will defend his unified titles against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena. Benavidez, meantime, is always looking for possibilities to rise to the same level.
The Benavidez camp is clearly quite frustrated. Both the ruthlessness of boxing talks and the idea that Alvarez has been picking and choosing which championships to defend were brought to light by the event, according to Jose Benavidez Sr. To paraphrase Benavidez Sr., “I feel that Canelo has these belts hostage for a long time.” This is in line with the views of many who think that Alvarez’s domination has unintentionally limited chances for other fighters in the division.
Edgar Berlanga, the underdog scheduled to fight Alvarez, has Edgar Sr.’s backing, which is a surprising turn of events. He doesn’t make any hay of the fact that other fighters might be able to challenge Alvarez for the belts if Berlanga wins. Edgar Berlanga is someone that Benavidez Sr. likes. “So all these other fighters can have opportunities to fight for those belts—that’s the only other reason I want him to beat Canelo.”
The bout is symbolic of the continuous fight for opportunity and respect inside the super middleweight division; it is about more than just Alvarez defending his belt against the heavily underdog Berlanga. If Berlanga were to pull off an upset, it would certainly change things and give fighters like David Benavidez a shot at the title.
The future is bright yet unclear for David Benavidez. Even though the discussions with Alvarez were unsuccessful, Benavidez’s ambition and talent keep him interesting to watch in boxing. He has shown an eagerness to take on new challenges by shifting to light heavyweight, further establishing himself as one of the most dangerous fighters in the sport.