Bivol, the former undisputed light-heavyweight champion, made waves in the boxing world when he defeated Artur Beterbiev in Riyadh on February 22, claiming the undisputed championship at 175lbs. The 34-year-old Russian fighter has since vacated the WBC crown and is expected to face Beterbiev in a trilogy showdown towards the end of 2025, with the unified WBA, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight titles on the line.
Meanwhile, David 'The Monster' Benavidez has been making moves of his own. After failing to secure a fight with Canelo, Benavidez moved up to light-heavyweight and quickly made his mark. He secured victories over Oleksandr Gvozdyk last year at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and more recently, a unanimous decision win over the previously unbeaten David Morrell on February 1.
Benavidez's recent successes have led to him being crowned the new WBC light-heavyweight champion, a title Bivol recently vacated. This development has naturally led to speculation about a potential showdown between Bivol and Benavidez.
When asked about his thoughts on this possible matchup, Canelo, who lost to Bivol in 2022 for the WBA light-heavyweight title, had this to say:
"[If] we see Benavidez [from] the last fight, yes."
Canelo's brief response suggests he believes Bivol would come out on top, based on Benavidez's most recent performance.
While fans have been linking Bivol and Benavidez in recent months, the fight might not happen immediately. There's a possibility it could be delayed until next year, given Bivol's commitments and the ever-changing landscape of the light-heavyweight division.
As the boxing world waits to see if this exciting matchup will materialize, Canelo's opinion adds another layer of intrigue to the potential bout between these two light-heavyweight powerhouses.