“I Don’t Believe Canelo Is Scared”: Kamaru Usman Confronts David Benavidez With Harsh Reality Check to His Face

Saul Canelo Álvarez has been at the forefront of the boxing scene for well over a decade now. An amazing portfolio of victories against some of the finest boxers has proved Alvarez’s fighting prowess as one of the best of his generation. However, it has been quite some time that fans have been hoping for a fight between him and the WBC Interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez. Many, including Benavidez, have openly accused Canelo of ducking a fight against him. With a battle between the two on hold for almost two years now, the prospect of them fighting each other still seems slim.

Benavidez, who is slated to fight Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the interim WBC light heavyweight title on June 15 has proved to be one of the best in the super middleweight division. Canelo has been reigning this division as the undisputed champion since November 2021. So it is only natural that the two should fight each other soon. But Benavidez is of the opinion that Canelo is scared of him. However, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman begs to differ.

Kamaru Usman hails Canelo Alvarez’s greatness   

Benavidez recently appeared on the Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman & Henry Cejudo Podcast. The two former UFC champions were delving into Benavidez’s childhood, and his recent entry into the 175-pound division. During the conversation, Usman while in a tangent asserted that although Canelo is smaller in size compared to his young undefeated guest, he still manages to corner boxers much bigger in stature than him with ease. 

Usman then stated, “I’ve been hearing this a lot, you know. I absolutely don’t believe Canelo is scared and I think you understand that as well, you know that. But there’s something because you can’t be, you’re not scared to be a world champion. I don’t care if it is someone that’s extremely, you know, that might be dangerous to you. But that’s what we do, that’s what you do.”

Kamaru went on to explain to Benavidez that fighters must take risks, and they often do. Given the fact that Benavidez has sparred with numerous guys since he was a young boy, he might have been worried before entering the ring. However, he nonetheless stepped up and sparred. Usman further added, “And then you get done, you’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t die, you know I’m good’. So I don’t believe that rhetoric- ‘Oh Canelo is scared’. But I understand his position.”    

Amidst all this debate, Canelo has also shared his thoughts on when and if he plans to face Benavidez.

No David Benavidez fight anytime soon?

Facing Canelo will be the biggest fight of David Benavidez’s career until now. But everything comes at a price. Alvarez defended his undisputed super middleweight title against Jaime Munguia last month. It seemed like an easy fight for the champion. He might face Benavidez next, but he has demanded a huge amount for the showdown. 

Ahead of his fight with Munguia, Canelo was in conversation with Fight Hub TV. While weighing in on facing Benavidez, he stated, “He brings nothing to the table for me. He brings just 25 pounds more on that night. That’s it. It’s not him because he has nothing to offer me, anything. I’m the one. But if one promoter who I work with comes and offers me $150 million to $200 million, I’ll fight tomorrow.”

The Guadalajara native has a stellar 61-2-2 record, while Benavidez stands at 28-0. It will definitely be a thrilling showdown for fans. However, it will only happen if both parties’ demands are met. Only time will tell if this clash really happens. Meanwhile, what do you think about Kamaru Usman’s remarks about Canelo? Comment down your thoughts below.