David Benavidez’s handlers say undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez is just hurting himself by avoiding the highest contender.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman on Monday instructed Boxing Social that Alvarez has been ordered to defend the WBC title in opposition to obligatory challenger Benavidez this 12 months or he’ll danger dropping the belt. Alvarez is free to battle anybody he needs on Could 4, which presumably means Sulaiman is considering September for the showdown.
Nonetheless, Sampson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’s promoter, mentioned that he doesn’t count on his consumer to face Alvarez at any time this 12 months. He and Alvarez’s handlers evidently haven’t had critical negotiations.
“Canelo Alvarez will make his legacy and his legacy will probably be stained as a result of he didn’t battle the very best right now, which is Benavidez,” Lewkowicz instructed ProBox TV. “I believe the kids, perhaps the grandchildren someday, will ask him why he didn’t battle Benavidez as a result of [Canelo] says he needs the very best fights, however that’s the very best battle.
“Now he says he’s going to battle an American [on May 4]. At one second … it was [Jermall] Charlo. Now we don’t know who the American is likely to be. We’ve got an thought of who it is likely to be, however since I’m not concerned in these negotiations, I can’t say who it’s as a result of I don’t know. … I do know that Canelo’s legacy will probably be tarnished.”
Lewkowicz went on: “Now if he fights [Benavidez], it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. The legacy of him goes to be the very best for me within the historical past of Mexican boxing as a result of he went to battle the very best, like [Julio Cesar] Chavez did, like Juan Manuel Marquez did, like [Marco Antonio] Barrera did, like so many prime boxers did which have achieved glory.”
Alvarez mentioned final Tuesday that he plans to battle an American on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas however supplied no additional data.
Charlo is rumored to be the main candidate however the 160-pound titleholder has been cagey when making reference to Alvarez, first saying that he hasn’t talked to supervisor Al Haymon since he outpointed Jose Benavidez Jr. (David’s brother) in November after which saying “nothing is official,” which appears to indicate that he’s Alvarez’s alternative.
Alvarez dominated out a possible battle with 147-pound champion Terence Crawford due to the burden distinction.
The one different viable potential opponent from the USA would appear to be unbeaten Edgar Berlanga. The unbeaten New Yorker, who’s scheduled to battle Padraig McCrory on Saturday, hopes to face Alvarez in Could however Alvarez hasn’t indicated he’s within the matchup.
An announcement ought to come quickly: Could 4 is just 2½ months away.
