Oscar De La Hoya has publicly criticized Canelo Alvarez, accusing the Mexican superstar of being "scared" to fight David Benavidez. In a recent interview, the Golden Boy promoter expressed his frustration over Canelo's reluctance to face Benavidez, suggesting that Canelo is deliberately pricing himself out of the fight by demanding an astronomical $200 million.
De La Hoya believes that a fight between Canelo and Benavidez would generate significant interest and be a major event for the sport. However, with Benavidez now campaigning at light heavyweight, the chances of the two meeting in the ring appear slim. De La Hoya pointed out that if Canelo is willing to step up to 175 pounds, he should aim for the top contenders in that division, such as the winner of the upcoming Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol showdown.
The issue, according to De La Hoya, lies in Canelo's perceived arrogance and unwillingness to engage in fights that the fans want to see. He highlighted that Turki Alalshikh, a key figure in bringing big fights to Saudi Arabia, has been pushing for the best matchups, but Canelo's demands are making it difficult. De La Hoya argued that Canelo's stance is damaging to the sport, especially when opportunities to make high-profile fights are on the table.
Despite De La Hoya's pleas, Canelo has shown little interest in fighting Benavidez, especially with both fighters now in different weight classes. De La Hoya went as far as to say that Canelo's reluctance to fight Benavidez suggests fear, something De La Hoya claims he never experienced in his own career. The promoter expressed disappointment that a fight between Canelo and Benavidez, which he views as the "Super Bowl of boxing," may never happen.
As Canelo's career progresses, do you think that at some point we will see that fight? We are not sure, but let’s see what lies ahead in the future.
Read more about Canelo’s next fight right here.
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