Benavidez, Crawford or Bivol? Calculating Canelo’s conundrum

By Ben Palmer

“I’ll take pleasure in my victory and see what comes subsequent”. That was Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez’s considerably terse response when requested what his future holds after a unanimous choice victory over the resolute Edgar Berlanga. 

It was enterprise as typical on the T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 14th. One other hungry younger challenger, steadfast of their assertions that they have been the person to show the super-middleweight division on its head, was outthought, outfought and, in the end, outshone by Canelo. Berlanga provided extra resistance than many anticipated however may by no means achieve a foothold within the contest, indelibly swimming towards a present of Canelo’s making.

In some ways, the Mexican is a sufferer of his personal success. For many pugilists, swatting away a brash up-and-comer with relative ease can be trigger for lionised deference. But, as Canelo sat in his post-fight press convention, the questions he fielded, by and enormous, revolved round his future: what, and extra pertinently who, is subsequent?

David Benavidez

It’s the bout that almost all boxing followers have been calling for Canelo to take. Benavidez, an undefeated former champion in his personal proper, appeared on a collision course for a seismic showdown with Canelo.  

A four-weight world champion who hauled boxing upon his again and dragged it via the treacherous terrains of COVID, it’s laborious to throw that muddy, unseemly d-word in the direction of Canelo: ducking. But, at any time when Benavidez’s title is uttered, unworkable fiscal calls for from Canelo halt negotiations lifeless of their tracks. 

Talking in Could this 12 months, he put his playing cards effectively and actually on the desk. “All I see is that Benavidez is 25 or 30 kilos heavier than me on the day of the struggle. I’ve no downside with that, but when he desires me to struggle him it’s $200 million”.

Benavidez’s nickname ‘El Monstruo’ (The Monster) is actually befitting, along with his gargantuan body dwarfing any adversaries within the super-middleweight division. However measurement has by no means been a problem beforehand; Canelo has twice fought at light-heavyweight and is seldom the larger man within the ring.

However, with Benavidez himself now working at light-heavyweight, a conflict with Canelo appears to be consigned to the annals of boxing historical past, filed below the fights that by no means have been.

Terence Crawford

Within the aftermath of Crawford’s overcome undefeated welterweight rival Errol Spence, murmurings of a match-up between himself and Canelo started. 

Whereas beforehand, this fantasy struggle would have remained simply that, Turki Alalshikh’s curiosity in staging the bout gave it a special hue. But it surely takes two to tango, and Canelo was unwilling to debate the prospect of combating Crawford whereas concurrently making ready for battle with Berlanga.

In a sport like boxing, it might be asinine to imagine conversations to stage the competition would resume as soon as Canelo ousted his challenger. Alalshikh’s response to his rebuttal was to chastise him, fanning the flames on the caustic playground of X as he accused the Mexican of on the lookout for “simpler” opposition since his most up-to-date defeat, being “afraid” of Crawford, time-wasting and making excuses. 

This match-up is an attractive one, sure, however one which has very a lot been championed by Alalshikh. With out his skill to work with Canelo and propel the struggle ahead, it’s going to lie dormant; a broken firework, unable to ignite.

Crawford is without doubt one of the trendy greats. Image By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

Dmitry Bivol

Dmitry Bivol is in fairly good firm, sitting fairly alongside Floyd Mayweather Jr as one in all solely two males to emerge victorious towards Canelo within the skilled ranks. It was again in Could 2022 that Bivol defeated the Mexican through unanimous choice, defending his WBA light-heavyweight belt within the course of.

Rumours of a rematch between the pair have by no means actually disappeared since. Canelo will not be a person used to defeat and has reiterated the need to admonish his demons from that evening in Nevada. 

As is commonly the case in boxing, discrepancies round weight have thwarted the bout’s progress: however not in the best way struggle followers have turn out to be accustomed to. No, it’s not rehydration clauses muddying the waters this time; as an alternative, each need the competition to happen of their opponent’s weight class. 

Bivol, a light-heavyweight, has said his intention to alleviate Canelo of his belts at super-middleweight, believing this is able to refute any claims from naysayers who argue Canelo fought him in unfamiliar territory. In the meantime, his Mexican foe desires to depart no room for detractors to assert he’s depleting Bivol of his full arsenal and rematch him at light-heavyweight.

It’s an uncommon, albeit noble, reason behind disaccord between the 2 camps, as each males search to evade a metaphorical asterisk being levied in the direction of them within the occasion of victory. Regardless of how righteous the disagreement, nonetheless, the rematch stays in a state of inertia. 

After all, it might be remiss to not point out the Artur Beterbiev-shaped silhouette looming over Dmitry Bivol as their historic assembly on October twelfth attracts nearer. Whatever the consequence, although, Canelo will not be a person typically acquainted with the acerbic style of defeat; a chance to show the tables on Bivol would certainly whet the urge for food of a person so used to vanquishing all those who lay earlier than him.

Dmitry Bivol catches Lyndon Arthur throughout their struggle in Riyadh. (Photograph by Richard Pelham/Getty Photographs)

So, the place does this go away Canelo? 

A bona fide boxing celebrity, he’s a grasp of his personal future and might assemble his path in whichever approach he sees match. Canelo is on the house stretch of a glittering profession, however there are solely a handful of opponents that may elevate his legacy within the sport to even loftier heights.