Promoter Leonard Ellerbe favors Canelo Alvarez, asking for $200 million to fight against David Benavidez. He doesn’t feel that Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) is asking for too much, and he thinks that the fight with Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) would generate enough money to cover the $200M purse for the Mexican star.
It might not bring in enough revenue, especially if Benavidez also wants a massive purse. He’s going to want at least $50 million if Canelo is getting a huge $200M purse. However, Benavidez’s popularity could drop off to nothing once he faces the winner of the October 12th fight between light heavyweight champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Benavidez already looked terrible in his debut at 175 against Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15th, and he’ll look worse when he faces the Beterbiev-Bivol winner. So, if Canelo is going to fight Benavidez, he must do it before he faces Bivol or Beterbiev. It’ll be too late if Canelo waits until after that fight because Benavidez will be exposed.
Canelo’s Price Tag: Worth It or Not?
“Many of the fans don’t understand the business. I haven’t had a conversation with him about that. I’ve heard different things, but why not if that’s the number he’s looking for? I support it,” said Leonard Ellerbe to the Fight Hub TV YouTube channel when asked about his thoughts on Canelo Alvarez asking for $200 million for a fight against David Benavidez.
This isn’t Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. Times have changed, and none of the fights in this era are bringing in the massive PPV numbers we saw 9-12 years ago. Illegal streams and firesticks have taken an enormous bite out of PPV sales, and there aren’t popular fighters now like when Mayweather, Pacquiao, Canelo, and Gennadiy Golovkin were bringing in massive numbers years ago.
“Yes,” said Ellerbe when asked if a Canelo-Benavidez fight could generate enough revenue to support Canelo’s $200 million purse. “Everyone wants to see it. He’s [Canelo] at the top of his game, making a lot of money, doing what he does. That’s putting his craft to use and entertaining the fans at the highest level.”
The Saudi Factor
If the Saudis are willing to spend $250 million to make the Canelo vs. Benavidez fight, regardless of whether it turns a profit, it won’t be a big deal if it hemorrhages money. It’s not going to turn a profit if that kind of money is paid out in purses because there are not enough casual boxing fans who know who Benavidez is. He hasn’t beaten high-level fighters during his career and is not active on social media or YouTube.
“He’s been very active, and that’s important, especially in a later fight in his career. He’s staying sharp. So that kind of stuff is always going to be in his favor. I really love this fight and I hope the Benavidez fight gets made at some point, hopefully next year,” said Ellerbe.
Canelo will be in good shape, no matter who he faces. If it’s Benavidez, he’ll be ready to fight him and beat him, as long as his size doesn’t cause him problems.
“It’s a fight that the entire sport wants to see. It’s two guys [Canelo vs. Benavidez] at the top of their game. The fans want to see that fight, and I think they’ll get it next year. I hear pushback that he’s [Canelo] asking for too much money. There’s never enough money when you’re getting up there and putting your life on the line. It’s never enough,” said Ellerbe.
If Benavidez beats the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol winner, a fight between him and Canelo will be a lot bigger, but I don’t see him as capable of beating either. Even on their worst day, they’ll take Benavidez to school and embarrass him.
Canelo’s Fearlessness
“I support his decision to do it whenever he’s ready to do it because there’s no such thing as him being scared of Benavidez. That man [Canelo] has fought everyone in the sport. He has an incredible resume,” said Ellerbe.
Even if Canelo is scared of Benavidez, he’ll fight him if the Saudis offer him $200 million, but they won’t pay him that kind of dough. They’d be better off giving Terence Crawford $40 million. Canelo-Crawford won’t be great in terms of entertainment value, but it will attract fans.
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