With each victory, it’s becoming more and more difficult for David Benavidez to find new ways to add to his legacy as a boxer.
His most recent, a unanimous decision over David Morrell, won him another belt: the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight title. More importantly, it extended Benavidez’s 100% record to 30-0. As the American boxer blazes on, it only seems to increase the chorus of voices calling for a dream fight that has yet to come to fruition.
Following Dmitry Bivol’s decision to vacate the WBC light heavyweight championship – a title that was awarded to Benavidez as a result – it now forces Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez into the discussions once again.
Sitting down with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo on their popular podcast, Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry, the WBC light heavyweight champion stressed that his ambition at this stage of his career was to enhance his legacy and not add zeroes to his bank balance.
“When you’re a f**king warrior, bro, the only thing you think about is glory,” stated Benavidez. “I’ve never thought about money. I’ve been smart and negotiated my s**t, but it’s always the prize, bro.
“I go out there and beat Canelo, bro, I’m a legend. You know what I mean? I’m going to live forever in boxing as a legend. That means way more to me,” Benavidez noted, further adding that it was always the original plan for him anyway.
Original strategy to beat Bivol and chase Canelo
The pieces were falling into place for Benavidez before Bivol pulled the plug on the possibility of their dream fight earlier this year.
Following the WBO’s call for a mandatory defense against Benavidez, it seemed that the American fighter was getting his wish.
However, Bivol decided to vacate the WBC light heavyweight championship, instead opting to complete the Artur Beterbiev trilogy. Having lost two belts and his 100% record to Beterbiev last October, Bivol avenged the loss in a February rematch.
He regained his two lost belts, as well as taking Beterbiev’s WBC, WBO, IBF, and The Ring light heavyweight titles.
The decision to vacate was a move that destroyed Benavidez’s plan to defeat two of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighters in relatively quick succession.
“That was my play,” revealed Benavidez. “But honestly, I don’t know about Canelo. I’m tired of talking about Canelo, I don’t think he’s ever gonna give me an opportunity. He’s never going to give me the fight,” he added.
“I don’t think so either,” agreed Cejudo. “Unless Bivol gives you an opportunity to scrap him, beat him.”
Usman, playing devil’s advocate, was quick to defend Canelo. He recognized that Canelo, while only six years older than Benavidez, had already contested more than double the American’s 30 fights.
His most recent loss was to Bivol in 2022, and form and power suggest that Benavidez would stand a good chance of defeating Bivol if they ever managed to agree to a fight.
Usman went as far as to suggest that a Benavidez win over Bivol might completely kill any chance of a future Benavidez/Canelo bout.
“I just lost to this one guy [Bivol],” theorized Usman, referencing Canelo’s loss to Bivol. “And I’m saying this guy [Benavidez] is too big for me and then he goes and beats that guy that I lost to [Bivol]. You think that’s gonna entice me to wanna take that fight?” the former UFC welterweight champion argued.
As good as Benavidez is, time seems to be working against him. Both Bivol and Canelo are now 34, with some serious in-ring mileage under their belts.
They both can make the argument for being the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of their generation. However, a loss for either of Benavidez would bring their GOAT status into question. If both were to lose to David Benavidez, his GOAT status would be undeniable.
