Canelo Alvarez Shuts the Door on David Benavidez Fight

Canelo Alvarez has said that a fight with David Benavidez is no longer possible with his former rival's move through the weight divisions, despite being called out once more by the three-weight world champion.

Benavidez is fresh from a vintage demolition job to become the unified cruiserweight champion in only his first fight in the weight class, handily dispatching one of the most highly regarded fighters in the division, Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez.

The pair have been linked since they were both campaigning at super middleweight, but Alvarez allegedly declined lucrative offers to make the fight, being accused of 'ducking' Benavidez.

Canelo explains why Benavidez fight won't happen

After defeating Ramirez, Benavidez called out Canelo, saying it is the fight the fans want to see so they can't leave it on the table. He tried to entice Canelo to a fight at light heavyweight for his WBC belt.

Canelo has fought twice previously at 175lbs, against Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol, but he now believes Benavidez is only calling him out for a payday, that he missed his chance at super middleweight, and that he is more likely to fight heavyweights next.

“Every fighter is calling me out," Alvarez told Mike Coppinger on the Inside the Ring Show yesterday. "Always they are looking for the payday.

“When we are both in 168, I fought every champion of the division, I say to myself, why did he never fight those champions. If he was a champion at that point I would fight him, because my goal was being undisputed.

“Right now, it's just impossible, he can fight with the heavyweights. I understand why he’s calling me out, it’s fine.”

Both men are on different paths

Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The pair's priorities now seem to be worlds apart, despite Benavidez calling for the fight. He has been on record saying he wants to venture back down to light heavyweight to fight two former undisputed champions - Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev - which seem better match-ups for the cruiserweight champ

Canelo is preparing for his return to the ring after some time out following his loss of the super middleweight titles to Terence Crawford last September, reenergizing himself and rehabilitating some old injuries.

Despite this, his goals remain the same, as he will fight the recently elevated WBC super middleweight champion, Christian Mbilli, in Riyadh on September 12 in a fight that promises to be all action in a clash of hard-hitting styles.

It therefore seems that the fight that was once one of the biggest in boxing is now finally dead and buried, with their paths too diverged to reconcile.

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