Julio Cesar Chavez predicts fight for Canelo Alvarez that everyone wants to see
Julio Cesar Chavez believes boxing fans will see Canelo Alvarez take on David Benavidez sooner rather than later.
The super-middleweight titans have been on a collision course to face each other in the ring and seemed destined to square off in Canelo's next outing on Cinco de Mayo weekend.
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However, the Benavidez fight was ruled out for May 4 when Canelo confirmed he would be facing an American opponent rather than one of his fellow countrymen.
Instead, reports suggest the Mexican superstar will duke it out with Jermall Charlo, the brother of Canelo's last opponent.
The news has been met with disappointment from the boxing community with many accusing Canelo of 'ducking Benavidez'.
But Mexican boxing legend Chavez doesn't see it that way.
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He told : "I think a fighter doesn't run from any fighter you know what I mean?
"There are just stages, I think that sooner there is going to be that fight with Benavidez and it's going to be the match everyone wants to see, right? It doesn't depend on me, it depends on Saul."
Chavez pinned the blame on boxing's major sanctioning bodies for not ordering their mandatories to face Canelo.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman recently confirmed that Benavidez, the WBC's interim champion at super-middleweight, will be made Canelo's official mandatory in March although he will allow Canelo to fight in May without ordering him to face 'The Monster'.
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Chavez added: "What Canelo has done is incredible. The truth is I can't speak badly of Saul because he is very respectful towards me, you know what I mean?
"He's earned everything he's got fairly and is within his rights to fight whoever he wants to.
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"In other words, it's up to organisations to decide to adjust it if they want the official challenger to fight."
Another domestic dust-up that is whetting the appetite of Mexican fans is a bout with exciting up-and-comer Jaime Munguia but Chavez would like to see the 27-year-old have a couple more fights at 168lb first.
"Well look, Munguia is an up-and-coming fighter," Chavez continued. "In his last fight, he proved that he's fit to take on Canelo.
"I'd like to see him engage in one or two more fights at 168lb to truly recognise his potential because this fighter [John Ryder] I think he's a really coarse fighter.
"Honestly a really bad fighter but a strong fighter. I believe he needs to do one or two more fights and then move on to the big guys."
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