Canelo Alvarez, the former undisputed super middleweight champion, has publicly ruled out a long-sought clash with David Benavidez, the 30-year-old who has pursued the matchup for nearly five years. At a press event in New York ahead of his October 31, 2026, fight against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Alvarez reiterated his stance, calling Benavidez 'a Heavyweight.'
Benavidez’s pursuit goes unmet
Benavidez first called out Alvarez in November 2021, after defeating Kyrone Davis in the seventh round. At that point, both were competing in the 168-pound division. Benavidez, then not a household name, was brushed off. Since then, he has won over a dozen times, defended his interim WBC super middleweight title, and climbed the ranks. But no fight with Alvarez materialized.
Frustrated, Benavidez eventually moved up to 175 pounds in search of bigger opportunities. Now, Canelo uses the move as justification for why they can never meet. 'He’s a Heavyweight,' Alvarez said, claiming it would be unfair.
A missed window, according to Canelo
Canelo added that the ideal moment to make the fight was in 2022, when he became undisputed champion. 'If he was a champion at that point, that was the right time,' he said. But Benavidez was still at 168 and not yet a titleholder. Alvarez claimed there were no serious discussions to stage the fight.
When asked whether Benavidez could eventually replace him as the Mexican face of boxing, Canelo rejected the idea outright. 'He’s not Mexican,' he said. 'Mexican American, yeah.'
Benavidez’s legacy is unaffected
Despite Canelo’s dismissive rhetoric, the narrative remains clear: Benavidez pursued a high-profile showdown when both were in the same division, and Canelo refused to commit. Now, with Benavidez moving up in weight and picking up more accolades, Canelo is content with the decision, framing it as necessary and fair.