Floyd Mayweather accuses Canelo Alvarez of ducking super-middleweight rival

The boxing legends have had something of a rivalry for years stemming from their fight in 2013, although Mayweather insists that he has “no beef” with his old opponent

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Floyd Mayweather has accused his old rival Canelo Alvarez of “ducking” fellow super-middleweight David Benavidez.

Alvarez is the undisputed champion at 168lb but is expected to move up to cruiserweight to face Ilunga Makabu next year.

Benavidez, who is associated with Mayweather through being signed to Premier Boxing Champions, who are owned by Al Haymon, is one of the best fighters at Alvarez’s weight class.

But after the Mexican star became the undisputed champion last month by beating Caleb Plant, he seems to be looking to move up in weight in search of an historic cruiserweight title win.

“Canelo a hell of a fighter,” Mayweather told reporters yesterday. “But my personal opinion is that he’s ducking Benavidez.

“You know, it’s just my personal opinion, and I’m allowed to speak my mind, that’s just what it is. “

Mayweather believes that Makabu, who holds the WBC cruiserweight title at cruiserweight, is an easy match-up for Alvarez, who has held belts at light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight.

He says that Makabu was not one of the top fighters in his Mayweather Gym when he trained there early in his career, and won’t be the toughest challenge for Alvarez.

“He’s going up to cruiserweight,” Mayweather continued. “And I’m not knocking him.

“But he’s going up to cruiserweight and [Makabu], he used to be at the Mayweather Boxing Gym, and the guys were really getting the best of him in the Mayweather Boxing Gym.

“So, if he’s going up to cruiserweight, if that’s the case, Benavidez is going to go up and beat that same guy – he could beat that same guy at 168.”

Mayweather thinks that Alvarez is taking easier fights, given that he has now reached a point in his career where he can cherry pick match-ups.

Alvarez promotes himself, and has recently worked with PBC, Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions on fights.

Would you rather see Canelo Alvarez fight Benavidez or Makabu next year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

“He’s not doing nothing,” Mayweather continued. “But when you are put in a certain position, he should be.

“I mean, he’s able to like me, you know, when I was in a position, I can pick and choose who I want to, because I earned that right.

“But do I like this fight [between Alvarez and Makabu]? Absolutely not. We want to see Benavidez. Let’s make it happen.”

Mayweather and Alvarez have had something of a rivalry stemming from their fight in 2013, which the American won by Majority Decision.

But the 49-0 boxing legend claims that there is “no beef” between the pair.

“A lot of times [media] are going to keep asking me about the Canelo fight,” he explained.

“And then when they write about it in the headline they’re going to make it seem extremely bad, seem like it’s a beef – it’s not a beef.”