Canelo's got a keen eye on this fight. He's planning to move back up to 175 pounds after successfully defending his three super-middleweight titles against Edgar Berlanga. His goal? To get another shot at Bivol, who handed him a rare loss back in 2022.
At first, Canelo thought Bivol had the edge. He said:
"I think if Bivol has the condition and good game-plan to go there, in and out, and do all these things, I think he wins."
But now, he's not so sure. In a recent chat with Fight Hub TV, Canelo changed his tune:
"No, I don't plan to travel [to watch it]. This is a 50/50 fight between two very accomplished fighter's, Bivol is going to have a very tough opponent in front of him. It's going to be a good fight."
Canelo's got a personal stake in this fight. Bivol is only the second man to beat him in his pro career. Now, Canelo's itching for a rematch to add to his legacy.
"Right now there's not much people left. I fought everybody … Bivol is one of the guys I'd have my rematch with [to add to legacy]. Like I say, if he wins 175, undisputed."
The Beterbiev-Bivol clash is set for October 12 in Saudi Arabia. It's going to be for all the marbles in the light-heavyweight division. Whoever comes out on top might just find themselves face-to-face with a motivated Canelo looking to settle an old score.