David Benavidez Reveals Why He ‘Never Heard Back’ From Canelo Alvarez

David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) did not hear back from Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs).

‘El Bandera Roja’ is currently gearing up to face David Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) in a battle of the unbeatens at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on February 1. While a big fight in itself, boxing aficionados have long craved to witness a showdown between Benavidez and the Guadalajaran powerhouse. However, much to the dismay of fans, that fight might never witness the lights of the boxing ring. In fact, Benavidez even revealed that he never heard back from Alvarez.

Benavidez recently sat down with Andre Ward for The Art of Ward podcast. In conversation, he opened up about the talks for a potential Alvarez fight not reaching fruition.

“We said yes, then we never heard back. They were calling the bait out. They wanted to see if I was going to say yes or no. I think they thought that I was going to say no, I’m not going to fight for $5 million; This fight is worth way more. So, I mean, I called the bluff, I said yes and that was the last time we ever heard about that fight,” he said.

Benavidez highlighted that he always felt that he was a problem for Alvarez and mentioned that Alvarez preferred to face fighters like Caleb Plant and Callum Smith rather than face him. Moreover, he was unsure if it was a matter of pride or if it was because he was perceived as a threat.

Benavidez then related this to his upcoming fight against Morrell. The Southpaw from Santa Clara, Cuba, had constantly trash-talked him, which paved the way for Benavidez to face him. But Alvarez, on the other hand, refused to fight him despite being called out over the years.

“If I’m sitting here telling Canelo I can knock him out and I can beat him. Why doesn’t he just come shut me up and make a lot of money?” he said.

“Don’t Blink”

With the Morrell fight inching closer, Benavidez has one piece of advice for his fans: Not To take their eyes away from the fight for even one second.

“I’m extremely ready, like I told you guys. You guys gonna see a great fight. I prepared extremely well for this fight. And I told you guys, don’t blink ’cause this fight is gonna end early,” he said. Meanwhile, it looks like he has also issued a threat to his upcoming opponent. Benavidez has even vowed to break Morrell’s face, calling himself a man of his word.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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