Money, legacy, or putting his skills to the test? What route Canelo Alvarez should take next has been hotly debated. After brushing aside Jermell Charlo with ease, the Mexican fighter is weighing his options. While rumors of a revenge fight with elder Jermall Charlo are brewing, the lingering question is whether it is what the fans want. However, it seems it is business as usual, and money edges past legacy or fans’ demands.

Canelo Alvarez has backtracked to adventure out of his comfort zone since dropping the fight with Dmitry Bivol in 2022. He has since fought a diminished Gennady Golovkin, an aged John Ryder, and an outsider in Jermell Charlo. While the super middleweight prepares for his Cinco de Mayo fight, talks of him finally fulfilling his contract with the elder Charlo twin haven’t sat well. There are more well-suited opponents waiting in the ranks, especially David Benavidez.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermall Charlo: A vengeance fight with few takers

Jermall Charlo had signed the deal with Canelo Alvarez first before he took a long sabbatical to cater to his mental well-being. It appears the American fighter is ready now to encash that bumper deal against the backdrop of revenge for his younger brother. But his younger brother failed to put on a performance and had an embarrassing fight. Such an outing hardly mandates revenge.

Despite Jermall Charlo being stronger and bigger, he has to jump to a division above. He doesn’t belong to the super middleweight division, and picking another challenger from outside the division will surely cause an uproar. Picking another smaller opponent is not good for Canelo’s brand image. The fans are growing skeptical of his recent cherry-picking when you’ve got surging David Morrell and Benavidez in the weight class, who deserve a title shot.

Further, such a matchup is neither good for the Guadalajara native’s legacy nor enough to smother fans’ expectations of the champion. The same will hurt the PBC and Amazon Prime’s chances of putting up a PPV blockbuster for their May 4 card.

The need for a face for the PBC and Amazon Prime

What do the PBC and Amazon Prime require to rack in millions for a PPV event? Canelo Alvarez, exchanging blows with a household name, will move the needle. This might not be the case when he squares off Jermall Charlo, at 33-0, in the square circle.

Notably, Alvarez, 33, has signed a three-fight deal with the PBC and has two fights left on his contract. The promotion wants to hold on to an exciting fight before they unleash ‘The Mexican Monster’. They want to bank on Jermall Charlo’s popularity among American fans to set up the final grand fight.

But their vision is flawed. ‘Hitman’ was on a two-year layoff before returning against Jose Benavidez Jr. The ring rust hindered his path to a spectacular win. The WBC middleweight champion’s skills, movements, and punching power left a lot to be desired. Therefore, it is not a stretch to infer that he brings little that will bother Alvarez. The boxing community is hardly interested in a fight with a predictable outcome. Where does it leave David Benavidez and other contenders?

The David Benavidez fight: charm and violence

It feels like David Benavidez has been the WBC mandatory for Alvarez for years now. He has dismantled every opponent thrown his way with brute force. The Mexican boxer has muscled his opponents and poses a significant threat to Alvarez’s undisputed crown. The fans are eager to witness how two compatriots fare against each other.

Undoubtedly, Alvarez vs. Benavidez is the biggest fight that can be made currently. Benavidez is only hanging around for the Alvarez fight for the biggest paycheck of his career. But if Alvarez avoids him for too long, he might move up to light heavyweight. Benavidez has been vocal about his demands, and the fans are eager for the fight too. Only Alvarez needs to make up his mind.