Tyson's words carry a lot of weight. He became the youngest world heavyweight champion ever when he beat Trevor Berbick for the WBC title in November 1986. For three years from 1987 to 1990, he held all the belts and defended them against big names like Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, and Frank Bruno. His reign ended in a shock loss to James 'Buster' Douglas in 1990 at the Tokyo Dome.
Now, Tyson's got his eye on Benavidez, the former two-time super middleweight champ who's making waves at 168 and 175 pounds. Benavidez grabbed the WBC 'Interim' 175lb title last year by beating Oleksandr Gvozdyk. That win made him the mandatory challenger for Canelo Alvarez's WBC super middleweight belt.
Just last month, on February 1, Benavidez kept his unbeaten record intact. He beat David Morrell by unanimous decision, holding onto his WBC 'Interim' 175lb crown. It wasn't all smooth sailing though - Morrell dropped him in the second-to-last round.
Speaking to ESNews, Tyson didn't hold back in his praise for Benavidez:
"I like him against everybody. Listen, I'd be afraid to fight him too if I was in that division. No one even has a chance against him, and I'm talking facts."
Despite Benavidez's mandatory position, a fight with Canelo Alvarez hasn't happened yet. There are a few reasons for that, but it's clear Benavidez is making a name for himself in the meantime.