Super-middleweight undisputed champion Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez has been linked to fights against natural 168-pounder David Benavidez as well as the former four-belt welterweight champion, Terence Crawford.
Benavidez has long since pursued a clash against Canelo but, even with fan pressure to make it happen, the four-weight world champion has claimed the ‘Mexican Monster’ brings ‘nothing to the table’.
After Crawford dominated Errol Spence Jr last year he has made it clear his main target before retiring is also a matchup against Canelo, which would require a three division weight jump from his last outing.
With the man pulling the strings behind boxing in Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh, announcing he plans to make the Crawford fight, Canelo’s old promoter Eddie Hearn has had his say on which is most likely to materialise.
The Matchroom boss has a close relationship with Canelo and, in an interview with Fight Hub TV, explained they the Benavidez fight will most likely be Canelo’s pick.
“To be honest when I met Saul he wasn’t crazy on that [Crawford] fight. He just felt you’ve got a welterweight coming up to light-middleweight going up to super-middleweight and I think he felt that he just wouldn’t get any credit for that win, everyone will just say ‘oh, you’re fighting a 147lber’.
As Saul has made it very clear, money is pretty much the only motivator for him right now, I guess the challenge as well, but he’s been honest about that, if the money is right he’ll fight anyone.
But I don’t think Crawford is a guy that he would necessarily be picking, I think he’ll pick Benavidez over Crawford because I think he knows he’ll get the credit for that victory whereas he might not against a guy fighting at 3 divisions lower.”
Benavidez grew tired of waiting for his shot at his fellow countryman and moved up to light-heavyweight in his last outing where he cruised to points victory against former champion, Oleksandr Gvozdyk. He has since stated he will move back down for Canelo.