Eddie Hearn has told David Benavidez the change he needs to make to earn a fight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
If Benavidez wants to aspire to a fight with pound-for-pound king, Mexico's Alvarez, he has to make a strong statement and forget about mid-level opponents. He needs to go for bouts that put him in pole position.
That was the verdict of Matchroom boss Hearn, speaking in an interview with DAZN. The businessman is convinced that the Arizona youngster has the elements to climb to the next level, but is letting time slip away.
"Canelo has the best record in boxing and I don't understand why people question it. Just take a piece of paper and write down the titles and the fighters he's faced.... When you have someone like Canelo who has achieved everything he's wanted, where is the motivation to fight someone like Benavidez? Don't get me wrong, he's a good fighter but [Jose] Uzcategui? It's embarrassing," he said.
Hearn explained that a recipe to get the fight that "Red Flag" has been asking for more than three years is results against top class fighters, who demonstrate their skills at the level of Canelo.
"Benavidez decided that fighting Uzcategui is a good fight, a strong fight, but come on...you scream for a fight with Canelo, you have to make strong statements.
“Canelo feels that the challenger should deserve the opportunity. He has to force the fight.”
Hearn advised Benavidez to lean on his promoter, who he shares with Caleb Plant, in order to land the fight that will catapult him to the upper level of boxing.
Benavidez in a nine-year career has accumulated 26 wins, 23 knockouts, and has twice won the WBC super middleweight title. In his last outing he defeated David Lemieux by knockout in three rounds.
Benavidez is scheduled to return in January 2023 against Uzcategui in a bout that had to be rescheduled because "Bolivita" tested positive in the anti-doping test.