Benavídez: “Canelo’s entire team is on steroids—including the man himself”

WBC Light-Heavyweight title-holder David Benavídez (30-0, 24 KO) has accused undisputed Super-Middleweight champion Saúl Álvarez (63-2-2, 39 KO) of using banned substances.

“If Álvarez were one-hundred percent sure of himself, I don’t understand why he won’t fight me—especially when his whole team is on steroids, including him; he’s never come off them.

Of course he’s juiced. How else could five people from his camp test positive? All those guys in his team are contaminated,” Benavídez said.

On 3 May Jaime Munguía won a rematch against Bruno Surace by unanimous decision, but it was later revealed the Mexican failed a doping test; his B-sample also returned positive. Munguía faces disciplinary action from the British Boxing Board of Control, and the result may be overturned.

Munguía began working with Eddy Reynoso—Álvarez’s longtime trainer—just before that rematch. Other Reynoso fighters who have produced positive tests include Julio César Martínez, Óscar Valdez, and Ryan García. Álvarez himself served a six-month suspension in 2018 after a positive test.

Photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC