Benavidez Eyeing Canelo Fight Date

Following his sixth round stoppage win over Gilberto Ramirez to win the unified cruiserweight titles on Cinco De Mayo weekend, David Benavidez (32-0) is now eyeing Mexican Independence Day (September 14) in Las Vegas for his next fight.

Canelo Alvarez, who has fought on Mexican Independence Day in Las Vegas multiple times, including last year when he lost his undisputed 168-pound crown to Terence Crawford, is scheduled to fight in Saudi Arabia on that same date, clearing the way for Benavidez to claim September 14 in Vegas. Benavidez made his intentions clear: “Canelo’s over there in Saudi Arabia, so he leaves it wide open for me. This is a great date, we put on a great show for the people, and I’ve earned it.”

Benavidez is looking to replace Canelo as the Mexican fighter who headlines Vegas on Cinco De Mayo and Mexican Independence Day, as he wants those dates to be a permanent fixture on his schedule going forward, while emphasizing his preference for fighting in the United States going forward.

“I’ve been professional for 13 years, since I was 16 years old. I started from the bottom and went all the way to the top. Nothing was ever given to me. So now that I’m here, I think I deserve to fight on this card on this date,” Benavidez added