Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez is sizing up his next opponent after beating Edgar Berlanga in September. The Mexican superstar's plans have changed following Artur Beterbiev's recent victory over Dmitry Bivol.
Before the Beterbiev-Bivol fight, Canelo had his sights set on Bivol. ESPN's Mike Coppinger reported that Canelo wanted to face Bivol if he beat Beterbiev on October 12. But things didn't go as expected.
Beterbiev won a split decision against Bivol, becoming the undisputed light-heavyweight champion at 39 years old. It's worth noting that Bivol was the first fighter to hear the final bell in a bout with Beterbiev. The decision wasn't without controversy, though. Promoter Eddie Hearn was furious, claiming Bivol was the clear winner and demanding that one judge should never work again.
Now, Canelo's got some thinking to do. He could go after Beterbiev and all the light-heavyweight titles, but that's not a sure thing. There's also David Benavidez, known as 'The Mexican Monster', who's the WBC interim champion at 175lbs and set to fight David Morrell next.
When asked who'd be the tougher challenge between Beterbiev and Benavidez, Canelo didn't hesitate. In an interview with KO Artists Sports, he said:
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"Beterbiev. He's a champion, he has something to offer me. He's strong, he's in another weight."
It's likely we'll see Beterbiev and Bivol face off again soon in an immediate rematch, given how close their first fight was. Meanwhile, Canelo will keep weighing his options as he looks to add another big name to his impressive resume.