Jose Benavidez Sr. Tears Into Canelo Alvarez Over Mexican Ban!
For those in the know, Team Benavidez has been seeking a showdown with undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KO’s) for quite a length of time. Regardless of the talent of the two competitors, and the demand from the fans, Alvarez has shown no real interest in facing two-time WBC 168-pound champion David “Red Flag” Benavidez (26-0, 23 KO’s).
Currently, the Mexican redhead is preparing himself to fight Gennady Golovkin to complete their trilogy. Really no one was checking for this fight, including Canelo. Yet it was apparently low hanging fruit that Alvarez could not pass up. Most feel that he will win the match and begin to truly heal his bruised ego after being thoroughly out-boxed and defeated in his last outing versus Super WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol .
ALL MEXICAN BAN?!
In recent years, Canelo has made a habit of saying that he doesn’t fight Mexicans. This is somewhat ironic since he made his initial bones in Mexico and almost twenty of his countrymen can be found on his professional resume. In fact, the last time he fought a Mexican, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, was in 2017.
So what major shift took place in his life that made him start thinking facing fellow Mexicans is a bad thing is anyone’s guess. What is not up for speculation is how Jose Benavidez, father and chief second to Red Flag, feels about Canelo’s stance and the fighter himself. Senior was only too happy to share his sentiments with Fight Hub TV.
“Do you think he cares about other fighters? He cares about himself! He cares about making money, he cares about him being the best! Those are just excuses! I never in my life heard a champion…if he wants to be like Julio Cesar Chavez – to me, Julio Cesar Chavez is the best that Mexico has ever given; followed with other good fighters too. But in my opinion, if he wants to be like Julio Cesar, he will never be like Julio Cesar Chavez because Julio Cesar Chavez fought black, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, anybody! And this guy is saying that he will not fight any Mexicans!
Now he is saying that if, what’s his name, Zurdo Ramirez beats Bivol, he’s not going to fight him, he is not going to fight Mexicans. To me, I have no respect for this guy. Champions fight anybody! It doesn’t matter! So if you think you can beat David, why don’t you come shut me up?! I mean fight him! But what it is, he is scared of fighting David Benavidez!”
THE WAITING GAME
On the outside looking in, this new stance on not fighting Mexicans does appear far-fetched and overly convenient. Yet, whether he is genuine or not, until he is willing to budge, this fight will continue to remain out of reach of David Benavidez.
By: Bakari Simpson
Be the first to comment