From the second David Benavidez had his hand raised in victory in opposition to Caleb Plant, earlier than he even made it to the post-fight presser, he already knew who he wished to combat subsequent. The plain selection, in fact, was Canelo Alvarez. The 33-year-old holds each main world title at 168 kilos and has the type of legacy that Benavidez would love to assert for himself.
Technically, the pound-for-pound star has and all the time shall be his most popular selection. However, for no matter purpose, the 2 merely haven’t shared the ring with each other. As a substitute of constant to chase his man mindlessly, Benavidez turned his consideration in the direction of Jaime Munguia.
Shortly after making his intentions recognized, either side took half in conclaves. At first, talks had been promising. A lot in order that Benavidez was satisfied that they might try and knock one another’s heads off earlier than the 12 months got here to a detailed.
The game of boxing, not together with as of late, has a method of snatching away an explosive combat from beneath our noses. So whereas it appeared as if all programs on their showdown had been a go, issues fell aside within the eleventh hour.
“We had been making an attempt to get a combat with Munguia,” Benavidez mentioned to a gaggle of reporters lately. “We had been already able to finalize a combat with Munguia after which final minute, he and his staff backed out.”
For essentially the most half, Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) stored his ideas to himself when requested to elaborate on what precisely went fallacious.
Munguia, 26, has grown sick and uninterested in onlookers lambasting him for his tenuous resume. He did obtain a little bit of credit score for his final outing, however his shut choice victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko left some feeling that he was given a present.
For the present WBC interim titlist, all he desires to do is lace up his gloves and face the most effective of the most effective. He’s ostensibly nonetheless getting that likelihood as a showdown between himself and Demetrius Andrade is within the works.
For now, the previous two-division champion is receiving all of his consideration. However for a second, Benavidez is revisiting his failed makes an attempt to lock in a Munguia bout. Negotiations had been by no means going to be simple. With Benavidez siding with Premier Boxing Champions and Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs) preventing on DAZN with Golden Boy Promotions, the political obstacles that stood of their method had been all the time going to current their points.
Benavidez although, let the cat barely out of the bag. Networks, in accordance with Benavidez, positioned their variations apart and held palms. The one factor that stopped their showdown from going ahead was staff Munguia.
Finally, Benavidez isn’t dropping any sleep over what happened. Merely put, simply because they aren’t getting it on within the rapid future, that does not imply it will not occur a bit later.
“It could’ve been a cross-promotional combat. We’d’ve fought on Showtime. It was very near occurring. It may possibly occur. I simply assume they aren’t prepared at the moment. It may be an possibility for the long run.”