Canelo vs Benavidez Is Officially Dead, Says Eddy Reynoso

If you were still holding out for Canelo Alvarez against David Benavidez, Eddy Reynoso just told you to let it go. Canelo's longtime trainer said flatly that the fight is done, arguing the only real window existed at super-middleweight and that window is closed. Benavidez, now 32-0 with 26 knockouts, has climbed two divisions to cruiserweight, and Reynoso figures the Mexican star has zero reason to chase him up there.

The line that'll get quoted back at everyone: Reynoso reckons there's a better chance of Benavidez fighting Oleksandr Usyk than Canelo. That's a pointed jab, given Usyk sits at 25-0 as lineal heavyweight king. Reynoso's message is simple. The pursuit happened at 168lbs, it never materialized, and moving weight classes doesn't reset the clock.

Why It Fell Apart

Benavidez spent years calling for this. He became WBC mandatory challenger and did everything short of showing up on Canelo's doorstep. It still didn't happen. Rather than wait, Benavidez went up through light-heavyweight and landed at cruiserweight, where he beat Gilberto Ramirez by sixth-round stoppage to unify the WBO and WBC belts. That win effectively closed the book Reynoso is now slamming shut.

Canelo, meanwhile, is staying put. Reynoso said the plan is to keep campaigning at super-middleweight, where he thinks the division is heating up enough to keep his fighter busy. That's a notable pivot for a 168lbs picture that looked thin a year ago and now, in Reynoso's telling, offers fresh options.

What's Next For Both

Canelo returns in October trying to win back the WBC belt against new champion Christian Mbilli. It's a rebuild fight of sorts. Canelo is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Terence Crawford, the pound-for-pound operator who moved up to 168lbs and left at 42-0 with 31 KOs. Reclaiming the green and gold would steady things fast.

Benavidez's camp has reportedly floated meeting Canelo at 175lbs, where Canelo has fought twice, but Reynoso isn't biting. Instead Benavidez may challenge for a belt two divisions north of where this rivalry started. Two fighters, two directions, and one dream matchup that the sport talked itself out of before either man ever signed.