In recent months, David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) has cut a frustrated figure to secure himself the glamor fight he desperately craves: an undisputed super middleweight clash with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs).

However, despite the ever-growing demand for a Canelo-Benavidez affair, Benavidez’s counterpart thus far has been unwilling to facilitate his ambitions.

The hostile relations between the fighters and their teams have forced Benavidez, a former two-time world titleholder, to explore opportunities. Benavidez is set to face Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) on June 22 in an eliminator for the WBC world light heavyweight title, with a direct route to face the winner of the undisputed title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol on June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Benavidez has confirmed that, if successful against Gvozdyk, he intends to challenge the victor between Beterbiev and Bivol before returning to explore an avenue that forces Canelo into facing him.

"Now I'm at the doorstep of something big,” Benavidez told the Fresh and Fit podcast. “I'm fighting for another title in another weight class. So by the time this fight is done, I'm going to have four of those, and we're still trying to look for that Canelo fight.”

Benavidez believes he deserves to be given respect by Alvarez for his pursuit of undisputed championship glory. He also continued to take issue with Team Canelo's purse demands – with a figure of $150-200 million recently quoted as an entry point to a fight with Benavidez, who is Alvarez’s mandatory challenger.

"Canelo is with this bullshit, 'He needs to be respectful.'” Benavidez said. “I'm not going to bow my knee to nobody, because I've earned my shot for the belts. The only reason this fight isn't happening is because he wants $150 to 200 million, which is absurd. Not even the promotional company makes money like that."

Ultimately, Benavidez believes that Canelo is reluctant to face him and relies on his supporters to downplay Benavidez's accomplishments and position as mandatory challenger.

"That's basically him telling me he's scared,” Benavidez said of Alvarez’s financial demands. “I try not to say too much, because if I say he's scared, people say I'm a hater. 'What have you proved?' I'm the No. 1 contender. I don't need to prove shit. I've beat the people they have told me to beat so I can fight for the title.

"I've done that over and over again. I've been his mandatory challenger for three years. That has never happened. Canelo is the money man right now. I just want to give the best fights to the fans."