David Benavidez excited for potential Canelo fight
On August 14, David Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) lost the WBC World Super Middleweight title on the scales. He weighed in nearly three pounds over the 168-pound limit before his scheduled fight against Roamer Angulo (26-2, 22 KOs).
Yes, the fight went on and Benavidez dominated Angulo en route to tenth round victory. Still, he was disappointed and embarrassed over his failure to make weight. To adjust, Benavidez vowed to become more disciplined with his training and diet so it will not happen again.
BENAVIDEZ ON CANELO
The 23-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona sat down with FightHub to discuss what is in the future; specifically, a possible showdown against “Canelo” Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs). Benavidez would not only relish the opportunity, but feels he has more than a good chance to defeat the Mexican superstar.
“I definitely feel like I have a chance against Canelo. And I’m always going to say that and I always feel like I can beat Canelo, especially if I get the fight. The training camp, there’s just going to be so much motivation going on there, it’s probably going to be the best version of myself that I’ll ever be just because of what’s on the line and what’s at stake.
I feel very excited that I am potentially going to get that fight because a lot of people ask for that fight; a lot of people want to see that fight. So I think one day it’ll happen, and when it does happen, I’m going to be extremely ready, and I will win.
If I get the opportunity to fight him, that’s definitely what I’m going to be trying to do. I think, with those guys, it’s going to be a little bit harder to get those fights because they’re with DAZN, a different promotional company. But if it makes sense for the fans and fans want to see it, then that’s what we’re going to push for, and I’ll definitely be trying to get the knockout.”
WILL IT HAPPEN?
It’s up in the air whether Benavidez will ultimately land a fight against boxing’s current cash cow. However, the fact that he’s talking up a fight is one way to get his name going as a possible future opponent. Alvarez has no fight announced so far this year. So naturally, one of the biggest ongoing questions in the sport right now is who his next opponent will be if he fights at all in 2020.
It’s highly unlikely Benavidez will be next in line. Alvarez certainly has eyes on the now-vacant WBC 168-pound belt, as evidenced by the WBC’s decision to order a fight between him and sanctioning body’s #1 contender Avni Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs).
In spite of missing weight against Angulo, Benavidez wholly intends on staying at 168 pounds moving forward. And if Canelo is serious about wanting to fight for that belt, a fight between the two could conceivably happen at some point. It’s just that a showdown between the two is highly unlikely to happen in the immediate future. However, for boxing fans and especially the Phoenix born and raised fighter, it’s something to ponder and dream about for sure.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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