Benn, known as "The Dark Destroyer" during his fighting days, didn't mince words when he said, "Joe Calzaghe would have definitely beaten Canelo. He was the best super middleweight fighter of all time."
Calzaghe, the Welsh boxing legend, retired unbeaten with a perfect 46-0 record. He ruled the super-middleweight division for over a decade, making a record 20 title defenses. His list of wins includes big names like Robin Reid, Mikel Kessler, Chris Eubank, Bernard Hopkins, and Roy Jones Jr.
Calzaghe's fighting style was marked by his high punch output and relentless work rate, traits that made him a nightmare for opponents.
On the other side, Canelo Alvarez has built an impressive career of his own. The 34-year-old Mexican star currently holds all the belts at super middleweight. He's fought across multiple weight classes, from super welterweight to light heavyweight, amassing a record of 65 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws in 67 fights.
Canelo's only losses came against Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol. He's beaten top fighters like Gennady Golovkin, Kell Brook, John Ryder, and Callum Smith. His last fight was a win over William Scull in May.
While this dream matchup will never happen, Canelo has a big fight coming up. He's set to face Terrence Crawford in September in Las Vegas. Crawford, who's three years older than Canelo, is a two-weight undisputed champion. If he wins, he'll make history as the first boxer to be undisputed across three different weight classes.
This fight could define Canelo's career. But according to Nigel Benn, even if Canelo wins, he still wouldn't measure up to Joe Calzaghe in his prime.