Canelo Alvarez can make history by challenging Artur Beterbiev for his undisputed lightweight championship next. Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) is without an opponent due to his rematch with Dmitry Bivol being pushed back to October 2025 for the next season opener in Riyadh, and Canelo would be ideal.
The upside for Canelo in the fight and defeating Artur Beterbiev would be huge for his legacy as he is the best of the best at 175. Alvarez has always done well against fighters who fight aggressively, defeating Gennadiy Golovkin and Miguel Cotto in his prime. Beterbiev is the same type of aggressive, big punching fighter as those guys, but just a little bit bigger.
Canelo is coming off a victory over light heavyweight giant Edgar Berlanga, and he showed in that fight that he has the talent to take on a 193 lb. fighter. He dominated Berlanga, who looked bigger in their fight on September 14 than Beterbiev in their recent contest on October 12.
Superstar Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs) could challenge Beterbiev, the King of the lightweight class, for his four belts and thus try to become a two-division champion.
Is it worth the risk for Canelo?
While there is a chance Canelo falls short against Beterbiev, he will receive less flak from the fans than if he fought David Benavidez or one of the fighters in the 168 lb division and lost. Canelo would be applauded for being brave enough to face Beterbiev.
There would be more fan interest if Canelo showed bravery by moving up to 175 to fight Beterbiev than if he stayed at 168 to continue fighting smaller fighters. Canelo has hurt his brand in the last handful of fights, facing this flawed group:
– Edgar Berlanga
– Jaime Munguia
– Jermell Charlo
– John Ryder
Fighting those smaller guys was a mistake for Canelo, and he should have moved down to 175 permanently after his loss to Bivol in 2022. Staying at 168 to fight that weak weight hurt Canelo’s popularity with the fans, because he has made it seem that he was just papped. bank account with soft opposition.
Canelo has more to gain by moving up to 175 to fight Beterbiev than he has to lose, and it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he loses at this level of fighting. Even if Canelo was knocked out by Beterbiev, it would still be worth it.
Beterbiev turns 40 in January, and he doesn’t have much time before retirement. If Canelo wants to face this talented champion before he leaves the sport, this would be the best time to do it. He can’t wait another two or three years to face Beterbiev because he’ll probably retire by then, and even if he’s still fighting, he’ll be older.
