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Former two-weight world champion and Hall of Famer Andre Ward has expressed concerns over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez potentially damaging his legacy by avoiding a showdown with David Benavidez.
Despite discussions between Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) and Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), no agreement has been reached for a highly anticipated match. Alvarez recently confirmed that he would be facing Jaime Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) instead, defending his undisputed 168-pound championship on May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ward, speaking to The Breakfast Club, criticized Alvarez’s decision, suggesting that avoiding Benavidez could reflect poorly on his legacy. Ward highlighted Alvarez's selective choice of opponents, questioning the legitimacy of his achievements.
“Canelo fans regularly call me a hater, but I am telling the truth,” Ward said.
He pointed out Alvarez's fight against Sergey Kovalev, noting that Kovalev was past his prime when they fought, raising doubts about the credibility of Alvarez's claim to be the best fighter in the world.
While Ward acknowledged that Alvarez doesn't need to face top opponents in every fight, he emphasized the importance of regularly challenging oneself to maintain a claim to being the best. Ward concluded by stating,
“Canelo is a really good fighter, but you don’t know how good you are until you fight the other best.”