Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez teams meet, Benavidez side to send official offer

Representatives for Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez had a meeting, and Benavidez promoter Sampson Lewkowicz says their side will send Canelo’s team an official offer next week.

It’s still expected that Canelo (59-2-2, 39 KO) will take a rematch with Dmitry Bivol on Sept. 16, but that’s not set in stone, and the two sides have been in sort of a weird argument, where Canelo wants to go back up to 175 for the fight, but Bivol seems to prefer going down to 168 and challenging for Canelo’s undisputed super middleweight crown.

In short, Bivol may see no great reason other than money to fight Canelo again at 175, since he’s already beaten him. Those belts at 168, especially as it’s undisputed, give him a bigger reason. Canelo, on the other hand, doesn’t want any excuse that Bivol would be drained at 168 or whatever. And because they’re both wanting to actually make the fight more difficult for themselves, a catchweight compromise at 171 or whatever does nothing for either side, because neither gets what they want.

So Benavidez (27-0, 23 KO) and his team could understandably see a big opening here to get the fight they want, which is Canelo and a crack at those four belts. If the offer is good — and it would be, because it’s a big fight — it may be something for Canelo to consider. Alvarez truly wants the Bivol fight, but if he can’t get it on his terms — and again, “his terms” this time are making it tougher for himself in the ring — then he might look to the Benavidez fight.

Canelo, who turns 33 on July 18, beating John Ryder on May 6 in Mexico, while the 26-year-old Benavidez is coming off a career-biggest and best win over Caleb Plant on March 25.