Terence Crawford has landed a fight with Canelo Alvarez, leaving David Benavidez wondering if he will ever manage to do the same.
It is a fight Benavidez, now campaigning at 175, had chase for some years. The 28-year-old is not WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion and has made it clear time and again that he is only interested in the biggest and most intriguing challenges.
That does not include pound-for-pound star ‘Bud’ as, speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, Benavidez said that he would not move back down in weight to face the American should he become just the third man to beat Canelo.
“Nah, I wouldn’t fight Crawford. I’m at 175.”
The point may be moot anyway, as Crawford has not mentioned sticking around at super-middleweight for any other fight. He has teased a potential drop back down to super welterweight to attempt to become undisputed in a fourth division, however many feel he may, at 38-years-old, seriously consider retirement. There is also the possibility of a rematch with Alvarez depending on how the action plays out.
Benavidez has said that he wants the fight with Canelo at 175, a weight the Mexican has fought at just twice in 68 bouts. After beating Sergey Kovalev in 2019, Canelo attempted the move again in 2022 but fell short to Dmitry Bivol.
Many feel that he simply won’t fight Benavidez, however with a belt on the line, potentially more if the latter manages to unify soon, certainly makes it a more appealing prospect.