Canelo Alvarez on David Benavidez's Disrespectful Call-Out Strategy: 'I Don’t Need to Give Him Money'

In a recent interview with Mike Coppinger on Ring Magazine's The Ring Podcast, boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) addressed his perspective on potential fights, particularly discussing David Benavidez's (29-0, 24 KOs) approach to securing a match with him. Canelo, known for his disciplined approach and respect for the sport, expressed dissatisfaction with how Benavidez has called him out, emphasizing that respect plays a crucial role in securing a bout with him.

Coppinger recalled a statement Canelo had shared with him, saying, "You said, 'If somebody's going to disrespect me, I don't want to punish them in the ring, beat them up, and say, hey, here's all this money.'" Coppinger quoted Canelo.

Coppinger sought confirmation of Canelo giving challengers career-high paydays, saying, "Because everyone always makes their career-high payday facing you, right?" "Yeah, you're right," Canelo replied.

When asked directly about Benavidez's approach, Canelo did not hold back: "At this point, I fight with everybody, with every champion, with all the best out there. And when somebody approaches you like that and calls you out like that, you don't need to give them money. And like I say, I can do whatever I want now. And just I don't like the way he approached taking the fight."

The Mexican superstar made it clear that he values respect and professionalism in his opponents, suggesting that Benavidez's aggressive and disrespectful tactics might have backfired. Canelo hinted that being the face of boxing comes with the privilege of choosing fights on his terms, and he is in no rush to grant a payday to someone who hasn't approached him appropriately.

Canelo contrasted Benavidez's approach with that of Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), who he believes has conducted himself respectfully in pursuit of a potential bout. "I think he's wanting the fight and doing it respectfully. I want Canelo, I want Canelo. No, nothing bad, saying bad things about me or whatever," he said, acknowledging Crawford's professional demeanor.

Despite his stance, Canelo left the door open for future possibilities, stating, "You never know. Maybe someday I wake up and say, I want to beat that guy." - 🥊