David Benavidez says he feels he’s going to be in a great position to put pressure on Canelo Alvarez if he defeats David Lemieux this Saturday, May 21st, in their bout for the vacant WBC interim super middleweight title at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Benavidez vs. Lemieux will be headlining on Showtime at 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Benavidez says that even if Canelo doesn’t elect to fight him after he defeats Lemieux (43-4, 36 KOs), he’ll move up to 175 and begin putting pressure on him from that weight class as well.
It’s believed that Canelo is still weighing his options, trying to decide whether to take the rematch with WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol or return to the 168-lb division for a trilogy match against 40-year-old Gennadiy Golovkin in September.
Canelo isn’t expected to fight a dangerous puncher like Benavidez in September, but he’s going to need to fight him soon if he wants to get the heat off him.
“I have my date; he has his date. I got to go in there all focused and take care of business [against David Lemieux], but I feel like the fight against Caleb Plant can happen right after,” said David Benavidez to the Last Stand Podcast.
Former IBF super middleweight champion Plan (21-1, 12 KOs) still hasn’t fought since his loss to Canelo last November. Plant needs to get back in action to show that he’s not damaged mentally after his loss to Canelo.
“I’m very excited because that’s a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time, and that’s a fight that the fans wanted for a long time,” said Benavidez. “So I’m happy that we’re going to make that happen.
“After I fight Lemieux, I want to get Caleb Plant, and hopefully, we get Charlo in there. That would be great. Then after that, if I can get Canelo, that would be the step that I would love to take.
“I want to fight the best and be the best. I’m sure with a great victory on May 21st, it has to happen because if I get the [WBC interim super middleweight] belt, I’ve already won title eliminators, so it’s inevitable,” said Benavidez about him getting a shot against Canelo Alvarez.
“If I don’t get the fights I want, I might move up to 175. I think it’s about time. If I’m wasting my time here and the fights that I want aren’t happening, what am I doing?
“It’s time to move up. But I still feel I’m in a good position too because I’ll put pressure on Canelo at 175 too,” said Benavidez.
