Canelo Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, questions whether the mega-clash against David Benavidez will ever happen. The fighters are going in different directions, with Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) heading towards light heavyweight to face former WBC 175-lb champion Oleksandr Gvozyk next.
Benavidez Moving to 175
Although Benavidez’s dad/trainer Jose Sr. says he plans on returning to the 168-lb division after he faces Gvozyk for the WBC interim 175-lb title this summer, that’s easier said than done.
The 27-year-old Benavidez is barely making the 168-lb division now, and once he goes up to light heavyweight, the chances are high that he won’t be able to return to super middleweight without missing weight when he attempts to return.
It would be better for Benavidez to stay at 175, and if he chooses to continue to pursue Canelo, he needs to do it from that weight class. If Canelo is interested, he’ll move up to fight him. It won’t change anything with Benavidez going up seven lbs.
“The fight with Benavidez may take a while or maybe never happen,” said trainer Reynoso to ESPNmx about a fight between Canelo and Benavidez.
If Benavidez keeps winning and looking good, it increases the chances of the fight with Canelo happening. Beating 37-year-old Gvozyk won’t be enough to build interest for a fight with Canelo.
Benavidez must aim higher, focusing on going after IBF/WBC/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA champ Dmitry Bivol.
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao as a Counterpoint
“There were fights that never took place, that of Lennox Lewis with Riddick Bowe, that of Julio César Chávez with Terry Norris, that of Érik Morales with Juan Manuel Márquez, and none of them stopped going to the Hall of Fame for that,” said Reynoso.
“There were others [fights] that, although they took time, ended up being made, like that of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Among the fighters, there is no fear. We just hope that the conditions are met [to face Benavidez].”
The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight still happened, despite both being on the wrong side of 30 when they finally fought in 2015. If those two were able to fight when they were well past their prime, Canelo and Benavidez could still fight.
Benavidez will have to control his weight because he can’t move up to cruiserweight and expects Canelo to want to fight him.