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Mike Coppinger, ESPN
LAS VEGAS – For the fifth time in five fights for the undisputed super middleweight crown, Canelo Alvarez remains king and more importantly maintains his status as the face of boxing.
As the most profitable fighter in the fight game, Alvarez was decisive and once again found an opening to score a takedown, even if it didn’t result in a KO victory. Alvarez floats Jaime Munguia in Round 4 of Saturday’s victory, but like Jermell Charlo and John Ryder before him, beat the count lost due to a wrong decision.
Now public demand will grow for Alvarez to fight rising star David Benavidez, “The Mexican Monster,” who broke out last year with brutal beatings of Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. .
“If I had money… I could fight [Benavidez] right now,” Alvarez said. “I don’t care. It’s just a matter of money at this point. Everyone asks for everything.
“When I fight [Erislandy] Lara, Austin Salmon, Miguel Angel Cotto, [Floyd] Mayweather, Billy Joe Saunders, GGG, everyone said I didn’t want to fight them, and I fought all of them. So right now… I can do whatever I want.”
Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has resisted the clamor to fight Benavidez, repeatedly saying he can do whatever he wants after all he’s accomplished. There is no doubt about his legacy and credentials. The 33-year-old is an all-time great. But when you’re the biggest star in the entire sport, that comes with the need to deliver what the public wants.
“Fans are very upset right now because this is the biggest fight on the table,” Benavidez, 27, told ESPN earlier Saturday at a press conference to promote his June 15 fight with Oleksandr Gvozdyk. ”. “And why do we leave it on the table for no reason?
“This is a fight that has to happen. … And I’m going to continue to put these types of shows in places that people will want to see. The demand for this fight is really high. It’s bad blood . I don’t like him. He doesn’t like me.”
Alvarez is ESPN’s No. 4 pound-for-pound fighter and hasn’t lost a fight since moving up to 175 pounds for the challenge. Dmitry Bivol in May 2022. Since then, he has fought back against a number of worthy fighters, most notably a trilogy fight with Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin.
But none of those fighters – not even an aging GGG – have the danger that Benavidez represents at this stage.
“He won’t fight me,” Benavidez added. “I think he’s running out of things to say. He literally said all the reasons. He said I only brought in £25 and I’m nothing. I’m this and that. I’m not conscientious, I am that kind of person.” not respect.
“I think he was afraid he would lose and then I would take everything from him.” [fans]. That’s what it is. I really don’t think he’s afraid of me. I think he didn’t want me to pass the torch.”
But Benavidez isn’t the only fighter Alvarez can meet to appease critics. There are also Terence Crawford, ESPN’s #1 boxer. Crawford appeared in the ring and was impressed with Alvarez’s performance.
Crawford, 36, scored a ninth-round TKO victory over Errol Spence Jr. in July to become the undisputed welterweight champion. He is set to move up to 154 pounds for his title fight with Israil Madrimov on August 3, putting him closer in weight to Alvarez for a potential fight.
The Crawford-Madrimov fight was the first boxing event held by Saudi Arabia outside the Kingdom. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, told ESPN last week that he would like to stage the Canelo-Crawford fight in December or January.
“You have two of the top fighters of this decade, not just this past year,” Crawford told ESPN after Alvarez’s win over Munguia when asked why he believes a fight is against him. That will be bigger than Alvarez facing Benavidez. “You’ve got two fighters that have been at the top for 10 years. You’ve got the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and you’ve got the No. 1 money-earner. I never want to leave anyone out, I’ve fought.” coming up on August 3rd and that’s where my focus is.
“I thought it was a good fight. I thought Munguia fought hard, I just think his inexperience caught up with him and got him down, stood up straight and didn’t interfere with the shots.” His punching allowed Canelo to sit back, counter and land his shots…Canelo is really a patient guy.”
Whoever Alvarez chooses, he has proven that it will be on his terms. He has earned that autonomy at this stage of his career. So whether he’s the favorite in his next fight with a fighter like Edgar Berlanga or faces the challenge of Benavidez or Crawford, one thing is for sure: Canelo will do anything. what Canelo wants.
