By Norm Frauenheim –
PHOENIX – Oscar De La Hoya and Jaime Munguia were in David Benavidez’ old neighborhood Wednesday, talking to kids gathered at a Boys & Girls Club near a busy freeway.
In another time and place, one of those kids could have been a Benavidez.
David and his brother Jose Jr. grew up a couple blocks from the club founded by former Suns owner and general manager Jerry Colangelo.
They’ve moved on, yet they don’t forget those streets on Phoenix’s westside. It’s why they fight. Maybe, it’ says something about how they fight, too. But those streets are there. You can hear them in their words. You can see them on waistbands, trunks and robes that include the PHX logo, a symbol of their identity and fan base.
Ignore them at your peril.
De La Hoya didn’t.
“He is the guy, the most deserving guy,’’ De La Hoya said three days before opening bell before the Golden Boy-promoted Munguia fights John Ryder in a bout that could set the table for what — or who – is next for Canelo.
De La Hoya picked the right place and time to talk about David Benavidez, who somehow has not been included in the discussion about Canelo’s next fight, expected in May.
Munguia’s name is there, prominently, in speculation that is the theme of his DAZN-streamed super-middleweight fight with Ryder on the Suns home floor at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix, about six miles from where De La Hoya was standing Wednesday.
Jermall Charlo, a middleweight champion who beat former junior-welterweight Jose Jr. after failing to make a 163-pound catchweight in November, is also mentioned.
So, too, is pound-for-pound king and undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
Also, Ryder, who went 12 rounds in losing a decision to Canelo last May in Guadalajara, is fighting to put himself back in the argument. Maybe, he does, if he upsets Munguia and looks impressive in pulling it off.
But Benavidez? He’s mostly missing in all the talk preceding a key fight in his hometown.
It’s a surprise, big to even De La Hoya, who hopes Munguia beats Ryder with the stoppage that eluded Canelo in his hometown.
“I’m shockingly surprised,’’ De La Hoya said. “David has to be there, in any discussion.’’
He’s not, perhaps, because of boxing’s tangled, tortured politics and simple timing. Canelo and Benavidez are both aligned with PBC (Premier Boxing Champions).
Canelo has two fights left on a three-fight PBC deal signed last year. From a promotional perspective, the third fight – expected in September — against Benavidez makes the most financial
sense.
But Benavidez is tired of waiting. He‘s been calling out Canelo for a couple of years. Benavidez is also the World Boxing Council’s mandatory challenger for the WBC piece of Canelo’s undisputed title. It’s not exactly clear what mandatory means anymore.
To wit: Why not next May instead of September?
“For sure, nobody is more deserving than David,’’ De La Hoya said. “Nobody.
“I hope it happens. I want it to happen. I just think David has to stay on Canelo. He has to keep talking about it.
“In some ways, it reminds me of when I was younger and fought Julio Cesar Chavez. I was the young lion. Those (two) fights (both De La Hoya victories) were like passing the torch. Like Julio, Canelo is the big name, the star. But David is bigger and younger. Maybe Canelo sees that. I don’t know’’
For De La Hoya, the business at hand is to get Munguia a victory that can’t be ignored by fans and especially Canelo.
“I’m hoping he makes a statement,’’ De La Hoya said.
De La Hoya also said that he’d be happy to talk about a fight between Benavidez and Munguia.
Absolutely,’’ De La Hoya said. ”Munguia is willing to fight anybody. Anybody.”
Apparently, De La Hoya is already talking to Benavidez, but not necessarily about Munguia.
“As I was driving over here, I got a message from David on my phone,’’ De La Hoya said Wednesday. “He told me he’s in Mexico. He said he’s in Guadalajara.
“Says he’s looking for Canelo.’’