Benavidez says Canelo fight is off the table, even if it’s offered now

David Benavidez is no longer waiting for Canelo Alvarez, and he’s making it clear that the door he spent years standing in front of is now closed from his side.

After chasing the fight at 168 for years without success, Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) said he would reject any late offer from Canelo, 35, if it came today. The statement came during a ProBoxTV appearance, where he was discussing his move up to cruiserweight to face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

“I wish he would say that because he’d be saying he’s scared without saying he’s scared,” Benavidez said to Boxingscene when asked about a possible offer from Alvarez at super middleweight.

The timing is the point. Benavidez spent four years as a top WBC contender at 168, waiting for a fight that never materialised. Canelo moved through other opponents during that period, and the matchup stalled without ever being finalised. That stretch left Benavidez in a position where waiting no longer made sense.

The move to cruiserweight is not being treated as a short detour. Benavidez, now the WBC light-heavyweight titlist, is stepping up to 200 pounds to face Gilberto rather than coming back to familiar ground. He viewed the decision as a refusal to take a lesser fight after years of chasing the biggest one available.

“I don’t want to backtrack and take a regular fight,” Benavidez said.

That stance changes the dynamic around any future Canelo discussion. The fight has long been seen as something Benavidez wanted, and Canelo could choose to grant. By ruling it out in advance, Benavidez removes that leverage and turns the situation into a missed opportunity rather than an ongoing negotiation.

There is also a practical side to it. The fighters who define the next phase of Benavidez’s career are no longer at 168. His focus has shifted toward bigger opponents and different weight classes, with Ramirez first and other names at light-heavyweight and cruiserweight in play after that.

Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) is expected to return later this year following surgery, with a fight against Christian Mbilli planned for September. Whether that creates renewed talk of a Benavidez bout no longer has the same appeal from Benavidez’s side.

He spent years asking for the fight. At this stage, he’s moving on without it. And if the call finally comes, he’s already decided the answer.