By: Sean Crose
After defeating Caleb Plant last weekend in Las Vegas, David Benavidez is seen as the main rival to Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world. Like Benavidez, Canelo also defeated the cunning Plant in the ring. However, while there is little doubt that the Canelo-Benavidez showdown will be a major event, Canelo has a lot on his plate at the moment. He will face England’s John Ryder in his return to his native Mexico this spring. He is then expected to face his former conqueror, light heavyweight boxer Dmitry Bivol, in September.
However, Canelo as well as anyone knows how easily battles can be lost, which means that Benavidez could soon reach his glory. “Bivol is a great fight,” said Canelo FightHype. “It was a tough fight – but Benavidez we don’t know. We need to find out.” It’s music to the ears of battle fans, of course. That’s also not surprising, as unlike some others, Canelo is not said to be in business to avoid top competition. “He’s a good fighter,” Canelo said well of Benavidez, “but I’m a great fighter.” There’s no denying the fact that Canelo is a great fighter. The question now is just how good Benavidez really is – and whether he’s good enough to beat the legendary Canelo.
In fact, Ryder is seen as an easy opponent for Canelo, even though the man is a must-have for the red-haired star. Besides, Canelo has been facing a competitor for years now, from Gennady Golovkin to Bivol to Plant to Billy Joe Saunders, etc. As for Benavidez, the gritty and intrepid former world champion player finally entered the big time by beating a game and challenging Plant last weekend. If Canelo defeats Ryder and Bivol, chances are Benavidez will be next. However, Canelo’s schedule is currently tight, and there’s no guarantee he’ll win his next two games – especially the rematch against Bivol.
However, that’s what makes Canelo so respected: His taking on serious challenges.
