Trainer Jose Benavidez Sr recently took some time to answer questions about the return plans for his son, 168 lb champion David Benavidez. During the conversation Benavidez Sr says the particulars of David’s next fight are still being worked out, but that he doesn’t expect to land a fight against Canelo this year since Canelo wants nothing to do with his son. Check out some excerpts of what he had to say below.
Benavidez Sr on when we might expect to see David Benavidez back in the ring
“We’re thinking of fighting maybe June, July, somewhere around there. Possible May. Right now everyone is busy trying to put those cards together for this year, they’re just moving things around. I’ve been contacted about a couple of fighters.
“They gave me a list of fighters, I said ‘anybody, whoever, doesn’t matter, whoever wants to jump in first let’s make it happen.’ So that makes it easier ‘cause we’re not trying to choose fighters here and there.”
On if he thinks they’ll get a Canelo fight this year
“To be honest, I don’t think it’s going to happen. Canelo doesn’t want anything to do with David. Every time he comes with all the excuses all the time, but look who he wants to fight. He wants to fight Munguia, he wants to fight Charlo.
“I don’t see Canelo fighting David. He’ll do anything or his team will do anything to stay away from David. Now you seen he said that he’s a king, he’ll do whatever he wants, he’ll do whatever he wants with the commissions. I’m just praying to God that the commissions be fair to everybody. I mean, David is a mandatory, you know, they supposed to strip him in March if he didn’t (make) the fight with David.
“But at the end of the day politics and all this. And the end of the day there’s nothing I can do. We just got to stay humble, stay focused, keep working and our time will come.”
On the idea of Terence Crawford facing Canelo
“I mean the Canelo camp, Canelo team Canelo era has turned into a circus, man…Imagine us trying to fight Terence Crawford. Come on, bro. It’s a little guy man. He’s good, my respects to Terence Crawford, but these guys are too big, man. It’s a circus. When I hear things like that, man, that’s not good for boxing.”