It’s becoming increasingly apparent – David Benavidez may have finally run out of patience. Judging by what Benavidez told Marcos Villegas, the much-anticipated clash with Canelo Alvarez might now be a thing of the past. The Fight Hub TV founder caught up with ‘The Mexican Monster’ in Las Vegas. Benavidez and his team had gathered for the final press conference ahead of his fight against David Morrell.

As an interim super middleweight champion, Benavidez had long been the mandatory challenger for Canelo Alvarez. However, the Mexican superstar reportedly demanded an exorbitant price for a potential showdown. As he showed no signs of budging, Benavidez decided to seek opportunities elsewhere. He moved up a division, defeating Oleksandr Gvozdyk to claim the interim light heavyweight title. If he defeats Morrell on Saturday night, Benavidez could earn a shot at either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol, who are scheduled for a rematch on February 22. With a potential path to becoming the undisputed 175-pound champion, why should he bother chasing a fight with Canelo?

Goodbye, Canelo?

“In terms of moving back down to 168, is that out the window now?” asked Marcos Villegas. Without hesitation, David Benavidez gave a definitive response: “I’m not going back down to 168.” Not even if Canelo Alvarez were to offer him a fight.

‘The Mexican Monster’ made it clear that money wasn’t his priority. He had spent years as the number-one contender at 168 without ever getting the opportunity to fight for the title. Taking a veiled jab at Canelo Alvarez, he emphasized his decision to move up to 175 pounds, where he could face fighters willing to take on their top challengers. Marcos Villegas wondered, “Have you completely lost hope in that fight happening?”

Benavidez explained that he wasn’t thinking about any fights beyond the one directly in front of him. His focus remained solely on the opportunities that were actually available – not hypothetical matchups. Speaking about his upcoming showdown with David Morrell, he stated, “I knew that this fight was potentially we can make it; we made it happen. Now I’m only thinking about this fight and then unifying the titles.”

David Benavidez is seeking answers

So, is the highly anticipated Benavidez-Canelo fight officially dead? The year began with reports suggesting negotiations for a historic clash between Alvarez and Terence Crawford. While the fight has yet to be finalized, speculation points to a possible showdown in September.

The Canelo-Crawford matchup has already gone through its fair share of ups and downs. If that fight could reach serious discussions, why should a Benavidez-Canelo fight be such an issue? While speaking with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson on their podcast ‘Nightcap,’ Benavidez explained how a fight with Canelo would symbolize a ‘passing of the torch’ from one great Mexican fighter to the next.

However, he suggested that Alvarez might be afraid of losing. Calling their matchup the biggest fight in boxing, ‘El Monstruo’ questioned why, if Alvarez were truly confident in his abilities, he wouldn’t just take the fight, silence Benavidez, and collect a massive payday in the process.

Given Benavidez’s latest statements, fans are left wondering: can this fight still be salvaged, or has the window of opportunity officially closed?

Do you think the Benavidez-Canelo fight is finally off the table, or is there still hope?