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Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) has touched down in Los Angeles with a clear mission in mind: to maintain his focus, attend a podium speech, and fulfill his press obligations. The undisputed super middleweight champion is gearing up for a highly-anticipated return to the ring in an all-Mexican showdown against Jaime Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) on May 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the Munguia fight, it seems that it may not be the Mexican standoff that the public had hoped for. Canelo's last appearance in September saw him dominate Jermell Charlo over 12 rounds to secure a decisive unanimous decision, successfully defending his undisputed title. However, since then, Canelo has faced criticism from the public.
David Benavidez has held the WBC's mandatory challenger position for over two years but has yet to engage in serious negotiations with Canelo and his team regarding a potential bout. Despite efforts from the 27-year-old and his manager Sampson Lewkowicz to goad Canelo into a fight, no progress has been made.
Canelo expressed his stance to the media, saying,
“If some promoter, not him because he has nothing to offer me, but if some promoter offers $150m-$200m, then I will fight tomorrow. That’s the only reason I’d fight with him.”
Lewkowicz recently took to the social media platform X to claim that Premier Boxing Champions had made an offer to Canelo to defend his 168-pound crown against Benavidez. However, Canelo reportedly turned down the offer, stating that he would only consider a fight with Benavidez if a promoter offered a substantial nine-figure sum, ranging from $150 million to $200 million.