He seems to receive kudos from certain fans for theoretical “victories” (based solely on opinions/expectation), with the same mentally deranged individuals also choosing to criticise other fighters for their real-world wins.
But lets’ not pretend that Benavidez’s lack of career progression is due to him being allegedly “fearsome” or the “Boogeyman” at 168lbs, because:
• Benavidez only engaged in 15 amateur bouts and didn’t achieve anything notable.
• In September 2017, David Benavidez got off the canvas to win a split decision over Ronald Gavril, in a fight where the outcome could have gone either way.
• In June 2018, seven months after signing a four-year contract extension with his existing promoter, Sampson Boxing, he accepted (and then had to return) a $250K sign-on bonus payment he wrongly accepted from Top Rank to join Bob Arum’s stable.
• In September 2018, he failed an out-of-competition drug test when he tested positive for a component of cocaine (benzoylecgonine). He admitted to making a mistake, was stripped of his WBC title and also served a suspension.
• In September 2019, David Benavidez regained his WBC world super-middleweight title when he stopped the past-his-prime iteration of Anthony Dirrell (that had previously struggled to overcome Avni Yildirim).
• In August 2020, the undisciplined David Benavidez failed to make weight for his fight against Roamer Alexis (by a 3lbs margin) and was subsequently stripped of his WBC title for the second time.
• In March 2021, Benavidez rejected an opportunity to face the current WBC middleweight titleholder, Jermall Charlo, in a catch-weight bout.
• In November 2021, the inactive David Benavidez engaged in only his fifth fight during a 45-month timeframe when he faced the lacklustre and unrated Kyrone Davis - a natural middleweight that only received 16 days’ notice (having previously scored only three victories within the last four years against journeymen suffering poor form, with only one of those wins coming against an opponent weighing more than 160lbs).
• Benavidez’s career best victories have come against a past-his-prime iteration of Anthony Dirrell and Ronald Gavril.
• Benavidez’s next opponent is the past-his-prime iteration of David Lemieux (with the Canadian previously needing to rise from the canvas to win a split decision over the journeyman, Maksym Bursak).
David Benavidez comes across as a nice guy though, but he’s made many poor career-based decisions and his resume is weak.
Therefore, why are people clamouring for Canelo to face David Benavidez?
Why do people feel that Canelo is “ducking” Benavidez, when it’s clear the American hasn’t earned the right to receive such a prestigious mega payday opportunity?
Thoughts?
