For the most part, David Benavidez is taking the humble patient approach. Loudly calling out Canelo Alvarez hasn’t exactly worked, so playing the role of a nice guy is a brand-new method. But while he bowed his head and kindly asked Alvarez to take him on, the pound-for-pound star paid him little to no attention.
Unlike most idle fighters hoping to face Alvarez, Benavidez is not only remaining busy, but he’s also facing top-of-the-line opponents. After grabbing the biggest win of his career against Caleb Plant earlier this year, Benavidez is back in the gym preparing to take on the undefeated Demetrius Andrade.
Benavidez is a deep thinker but at this point, he has a very rudimentary thought process. Beat Andrade and fight Alvarez immediately after.
Unfortunately, the sport of boxing can be far more complex than it needs to be. If Benavidez doesn’t protrude to the top of Alvarez’s list, he refuses to let inertia set in. So, he already has a backup plan waiting in the wings.
“If that fight doesn’t happen, I’ll fight David Morrell,” Benavidez told FightHype.com. “That’ll be a great fight.”
Benavidez’s words are music to Morrell’s ears. The talented Cuban may have only a handful of fights under his belt, but he’s already considered one of the best super middleweights in the world.
There’s an inordinate amount of pressure that Benavidez is putting on his shoulders. He knows good and well that his time at 168 pounds is quickly coming to an end. Before he eventually exits stage left, the 26-year-old wants to become an undisputed champion. Meaning, he’ll have to go through Alvarez. And while making weight is becoming more and more arduous, Benavidez is trying to scratch the final goal off his super middleweight to-do list.
“My end goal is really to get all four belts at this weight class before I leave.”
By Hans Themistode