Canelo Alvarez Must Weigh the Team Benavidez Offer Against Revenge On Bivol
The boxing community is now aware of what undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (59-2-2, 39KO) could make by accepting a fight with two-time champion David “The Mexican Monster” Benavidez (27-0, 23KO). The offer could be large enough to draw Canelo away from an immediate rematch against WBA champion Dmitry Bivol.
On June 1, social media was thrown upside down when Canelo’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, claimed that Matchroom Boxing, Top Rank, and Premier Boxing Champions had yet to send a contract for an Alvarez fight in September.
Benavidez-promoter Sampson Lewkowicz quickly responded by affirming that a contract was indeed sent. Per his claims, Lewkowicz stated that Canelo had been offered a sizable purse to take the fight.
ALVAREZ CAN FIGHT BENAVIDEZ OR SEEK REVENGE AGAINST BIVOL
It seems the purse amount that was offered has now been made public. According to Sports Illustrated, the undisputed champion could make up to $50 million. This includes the purse, gate revenue, and pay-per-view sales split. This contract is like the deal Canelo agreed upon when fighting for undisputed against then-IBF champion Caleb Plant in 2021.
Canelo easily defeated WBO mandatory challenger John Ryder on May 6. Afterward, he immediately called for a rematch with WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. However, this lucrative offer from Sampson Boxing could make him put the rematch on hold.
David Benavidez has been calling for this fight against Canelo since losing the WBC title on the scale in a fight against Alexis Angulo in 2020. He is coming off the most satisfying career victory over long-time rival Caleb Plant on May 25. It will be interesting to see if he finally gets his desired bout with Canelo or if revenge against Bivol remains the priority.
