Benavidez Chooses To Stay Mandatory For Canelo
David Benavidez will target a fight with Canelo Alvarez next by signing an appeal letter, forcing the WBC to act.
Benavidez secured a victory against Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the WBC Interim Light Heavyweight Title via a unanimous decision. It was his first bout at 175. He moved up from 168 after failing to get the Canelo Alvarez fight. The Mexican Monster has been the WBC Interim Super Middleweight Champion for over two years. However, the WBC has not called the mandatory, nor have they stripped the Mexican.
Meanwhile, Canelo has been holding out for $200 million to fight Benavidez. That has held up the 168-pound division, leaving boxing fans and Benavidez frustrated. However, Benavidez has now taken action to pursue an appeal with a view to fighting Canelo in September.
Benavidez Takes Action
“Already been talked about, ready to go,” David Benavidez Sr.
“If that happens, we will have eight weeks to train for Canelo. We can be ready for September,” Sampson Leikewicz (Benavidez’s promoter)
Those comments coincide with Benavidez’s statement that he will return to 168 following the Gvozdyk fight. The Mexican Monster failed to stop Gvozdyk, as he was facing someone of the same size as him. Benavidez usually enjoys a size advantage when he takes on the 168-pounders. In his fight before Gvozdyk, he stopped two-weight world champion Demetrius Andrade. While he failed to stop Gvozdyk, Benavidez admitted that he injured his hand before coming into the fight. A return to 168 would then give him those advantages back.
Canelo’s Decision
Canelo also has a decision to make. The IBF ordered him to face William Scull next. The fight has not gone down well, as Scull is not a big name. Canelo could vacate the belt. This makes the Benavidez fight much smaller since it would not be for undisputed. Since Alvarez is demanding a big sum, he could only command that if the bout was for undisputed. Tyson Fury earned over $100 million as the A-side when he took on Oleksandr Usyk for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship.
Another option is to agree to a step-aside deal. With Benavidez demanding a fight in September, this could be ideal. The winner would then face Scull in a mandatory. Meanwhile, Scull has the guarantee of getting two paydays. Current reports indicate that Scull has agreed a deal with Canelo. However, it may be for a step-aside deal to allow Alvarez to face Edgar Berlanga in September.
The last option is to face Scull with a view to fighting Benavidez. That has the option of keeping Canelo undisputed and pacifying the fans. If Benavidez follows Scull, fans may be happy with the IBF defense next. Alternatively, if Canelo wanted to avoid Benavidez, he could get stripped.
The next biggest fight on the table would be against Terence Crawford. Reports indicate the Saudis want to make that fight. Alvarez initially dismissed it, stating he would get no credit for beating a welterweight. But a Crawford fight would only interest fans if it was for undisputed. Bud has expressed his desire to become a three-weight undisputed champion. With so many options on the table, Canelo has a big decision to make.
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