How much the Benavidez fight not happenin' hurts Canelo's legacy?

Benavidez made it easier for Canelo by moving up to LHW. Then again bar Canelo who was blatantly avoiding Benavidez, the SMW doesn't have too much going for it ATM.

In the LHW's there are some serious big dogs in Bivol and Beterbiev, with some good fighters in Gvodysk, Buatsi, Morrell, Callum Smith, Yarde. Whereas, in SMW Canelo's biggest challenger is Mbilli and to one organisation Scull. Pacheco won't take any hard fights as shown by his performance against Nelson in which it should have been a draw - that Pacheco isn't at that THAT level.

 

Golovkin is already his daddy.

 

The reason the fight didn't materialize was more due to ego, rather than Canelo being afraid of Benavidez. I'm always thought that the fight will happen someday. Just not at 168, but rather 175 pounds. And now with Canelo supposedly signing a fight deal with Turki Al Sheikh. I would wager that this fight will happen sometime next year. Albeit, of course both Alvarez and Benavidez haven't lost before then.

 

Doesnt hurt it at all.. wtf has Benavidez ever done?

 

Don’t think it will hurt his rep in the long run. Benavidez is going to lose a few times in coming years if he’s continued to be matched tough.

 

Well, he hasn’t blatantly ducked anyone!

 

i see this too
Only win or lose
Turki has maintained when making these
Tournament fights
The matchups are King
In this new Riyadh Season age of boxing
the match ups are king not undefeated “hero’s” records.
That losses should not diminish a fighters legacy - just the way the good lord intended.

he has been sent by Allah himself to
Save Boxing!

Turki is making the sport GREAT AGAIN!

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https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/40093719/turki-alalshikh-big-plans-canelo-crawford-fury

 

If Canelo was going to fight Benavidez he'd have already done it,

 

Tbf, probably not much. Benavidez just aint that guy. When fans look back on both of their records 10 years from now, I dont think anyone will think the world of boxing was missing out by not having this fight done. Not to mention Canelo has legit lost twice to Golovkin, once to Bivol and also to May. Even if he lost, one more loss near retirement against a guy touted as a top prospect at the time means close to nothing in the long run.

 

Ego would not allow Benavidez, his dad and the fans to call him a ducker for years. Ego would make him fight David and beat him up. You have it backwards. The reason he didn't fight him is fear and nothing more. Yes it will hurt his legacy its a huge stain to commit arguably the biggest duck in boxing history. Every time they talk about Canelo's legacy they will mention David Benavidez.

 

It actually makes it better, the undisputed champion of the division he began in absolutely avoided him for no reason, then he goes on to defeat other highly ranked fighters in his division and the division above. Because now people are like, "wow that's why Canelo didn't want any part of him".

 

The only person's legacy it impacts is Benavidez.

Canelo is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Benavidez is not.

Canelo has a decade of classic fights under his belt. Benavidez does not.

Canelo has been a part of some of the biggest fights this century. Benavidez has yet to have one.

The two of them not fighting only helps Benavidez's reputation currently. He can claim he was ducked by the great Canelo. People will repeat that

But it doesn't last. Benavidez has already gotten more mileage out of it than he should have. He's been a pro for more than a decade and doesn't have all that much to show for it.

Every era has a couple of guys who insist they were ducked. It helps them gain steam for a while. But, unless they accomplish big things on their own, their lack of accomplishments tend to fall on them. Not the guy who "didn't" fight them.

It doesn't hurt Canelo at all.

His career is already part of the history books.

 

Canelo has still beaten the fighters he's beaten, but it leaves a bad after taste.

Before he took on every one. Yes, a bit more time for Kovalev to prepare would have been nice and one could argue he should have been quicker to take on GGG, but he did pretty much face them all and beat everyone save Floyd and Bivol. To then blatantly duck Benavidez and face Charlo and Crawford instead is a disappointing ending.

But let's hope he goes out by challenging for the undisputed at 175 next year. Might be wishing for too much, but pointless for him to continue otherwise.

 

It's one of the clearest duck jobs ever. But historically ducking an opponent doesn't really impact that heavily.

Johnson ducked Langford
Jones Jr ducked DM
Bowe ducked Lewis

It's definitely up there with those.

But fighters still end up with an intact legacy despite ducking fighters tbh.