De La Hoya, who used to promote Canelo, shared his thoughts in a chat with Fight Hub TV. He believes Benavidez's skills and youth will give him the edge.
"I think Benavidez will win and will win easy."
De La Hoya pointed out Benavidez's strengths. He praised the 27-year-old's arsenal, footwork, and jab. He also noted that Benavidez's size and age could play a big role.
The former champ compared the potential fight to his own clash with Julio Cesar Chavez. He sees similarities in the age gap between the fighters.
De La Hoya made it clear he's not trying to put Canelo down. He reminded everyone that he got Canelo a $365 million contract in the past. His critique comes from his perspective as a former fighter.
"Canelo's done great for the sport. He's still doing amazing. But he's naturally slowing down due to age."
Right now, Canelo is looking for his next opponent after a recent win. Benavidez, on the other hand, has moved up to light-heavyweight. He's set to face David Morrell in February.
The relationship between De La Hoya and Canelo has soured since their split. They often clash in the media. But De La Hoya insists his prediction isn't biased.
For the fight to happen, either Benavidez needs to move back down or Canelo needs to move up. Fans have wanted this matchup for a while. If it does happen, De La Hoya thinks Benavidez will come out on top.