David Benavidez eyes moving up with a different opponent in mind if Canelo Alvarez refuses to fight him
David Benavidez has suggested that he could fight a different opponent at a higher weight class if Saul Canelo Alvarez refuses to face him. The undefeated Benavidez's most recent boxing match transpired on Saturday (November 25, 2023). It witnessed him defeat Demetrius 'Boo Boo' Andrade via sixth-round TKO and retain the WBC interim super middleweight title.
Many in the combat sports community have since been demanding a matchup between Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez next. A boxing megastar and the undisputed super middleweight champion, Alvarez holds the WBA (Super), WBC, WBO, IBF, and The Ring super middleweight titles.
During his post-fight press conference on Saturday, David Benavidez indicated that he'd like to fight Canelo Alvarez in the super middleweight (168-pound) division next. Alternatively, he opined that if Alvarez doesn't want to fight him, he (Benavidez) could move up to the light heavyweight (175-pound) division and face WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
Bivol is the only fighter, apart from the legendary Floyd Mayweather Jr., to have defeated Alvarez in the sport of professional boxing thus far. Benavidez's translator stated the following regarding the 26-year-old Mexican-American pugilist's next fight:
"So, the question was for David regarding his path to get here and how he feels going forward; and especially as Canelo looms in the horizon. And David said that, you know, he's going to go up against anybody. Canelo can be one option. But if Canelo doesn't want to fight against me, then I'm going to beat everybody else. That's the bottom line."
He added:
"It's not just about Canelo [at] 168. It's a very talented division, a very deep division. So, there are plenty of quality opponents for me to face. And you know what, I'm also thinking about going up to 175. [Dmitry] Bivol is there, and I would like to face him too."
Check out Benavidez's comments at 44:40 in the video below:
David Benavidez next fight: Is Canelo Alvarez next for 'El Monstruo'?
A potential David Benavidez vs. Canelo Alvarez showdown has long been a dream matchup for a number of boxing fans worldwide. Speaking of which, after Benavidez's incredible victory over Demetrius Andrade, the campaign for a fight between him and Alvarez has gained significant traction.
As noted, during his post-fight press conference, David Benavidez implied that he's fine with facing other fighters if Canelo Alvarez doesn't agree to fight him. Currently, neither Benavidez nor Alvarez's next opponents have been officially announced.
Besides, Canelo Alvarez had previously dismissed a possible fight against him. Regardless, during his in-ring post-fight interview after beating Andrade, Benavidez jibed at Alvarez and referred to himself as the real super middleweight champion. 'El Monstruo' said:
“Just a reminder, letting everyone know who the f**k the real champion at 168 is! They [the fans] wanna see me vs. Canelo, and that’s what we want too!”
Watch Benavidez's jibe at Alvarez below: