"Red Flag" Benavidez Believes Crawford Has What It Takes to Defeat Canelo
David Benavidez is still waiting for his long-anticipated fight against Mexican champion Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez. However, despite this matchup not being finalized, "Red Flag" has already shared his thoughts on how the Guadalajara native would fare against Terence Crawford.
During an interview with Ariel Helwani, Benavidez was asked about a potential fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford, which, while not yet official, has generated a lot of buzz. He made it clear that if there’s one fighter who could take down the Mexican superstar, it would be the undefeated American boxer.
“If there’s anyone out there who can beat Canelo, I’d say it’s Crawford,” Benavidez stated. “I’d probably give him about a seven out of ten chance of pulling off the victory. Crawford has been aware for a long time that he might face Canelo one day, and he’s really dedicated to weight training.” He further added, “I have no doubt he’s been working on that for a long time in preparation.”
At the same time, Benavidez admitted that he would love to be in Crawford’s position. However, he also emphasized that he feels fortunate for the spot he holds in the boxing world.
“A little bit, yeah, but I don’t want to come off as jealous. I’m grateful for what I have and the position I’m in, so I’m also really happy for Crawford to get such a big opportunity,” said the Mexican-American fighter.
Will Canelo Álvarez Face Terence Crawford?
According to The Ring, the showdown between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford is already a done deal, scheduled to take place on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. With this fight on the horizon, the only thing left to determine is who Canelo’s opponent will be for his usual May bout.
While Saúl Álvarez has yet to officially confirm his next opponent, his trainer, Eddy Reynoso, recently revealed in an interview with TV Azteca that William Scull and Christian Mbilli are both on the Mexican fighter’s radar.
Scull is an interesting option for Canelo since he holds the only super middleweight title (IBF) missing from Álvarez’s collection. The Cuban fighter was crowned champion after Canelo was stripped of the belt following the announcement of his July fight against Edgar Berlanga.
Meanwhile, Christian Mbilli has also emerged as a potential challenger for the Guadalajara-born champion. The Cameroonian-French boxer competes in the same division and is currently ranked No. 1 at 168 pounds by both the WBC and WBA—two organizations in which Canelo reigns as champion. Additionally, he holds the third spot in the rankings of the WBO and IBF.
On top of that, rumors have circulated this week about a possible fight in May between Canelo and American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. However, nothing has been confirmed, and fans will have to wait to see what unfolds in the coming days.