Boxing
David Benavidez says he will knock out Canelo and the Bivol Trio
“Canelo, Bivol and Beterbiev,” Benavidez told ESPN Knockout about the fighters he wants to face. When pressed on who he would knock out, his answer didn’t change.
“I knock out all three of them. All three in the same night.”
The “all three in one evening” comment is pure promotional theater. By combining Canelo, Bivol and Beterbiev, he presents himself as the only logical end boss for all three.
Canelo ignored him for years. Outrageous claims are often the only way to get the public to roar deafening enough that the superstar can no longer justify the business move of avoiding a threatening competitor.
Saying he knocked out three legends in one night fits the “Monster” personality perfectly, even if he knows it’s physically impossible.
Benavidez is probably “stern” in the sense that he truly believes he is the best fighter in the world. However, this particular “one night” claim is 100% aimed at casual fans who only watch when the headlines are explosive.
He knows that to become the “face of boxing”, he needs a narrative. Winning is not enough. If he manages to capture Ramirez’s belts on May 2, this “brag” will suddenly start to look like a prediction, and the pressure on Canelo to fight him in September will reach a boiling point.
Since moving up to 175 pounds, Benavidez has proven to be a physical fit, but he no longer has the massive size advantage he used to bully his opponents at 168 pounds.
Most analysts consider Bivol to be the most complex puzzle for Benavidez to solve. Benavidez relies on constant combinations and weakening his opponents. Bivol is a master of distance, footwork and the in-and-out style.
Bivol’s thrust and lateral movement are designed to neutralize pressure fighters. According to reports, Bivol has handled Benavidez’s aggression well in previous sparring sessions, which both have commented on.
Benavidez has the hand speed to keep him competitive, but many experts believe Bivol would have outscored him in a bad decision by staying outside the ropes and taking advantage of Benavidez’s occasional wide punches.
Artur Beterbiev is a fight that fans can’t wait for because it’s a “phone booth” war. Both men want to stand in the middle of the ring and trade. Beterbiev has terrifying, hefty power, while Benavidez has faster, “stinging” combinations.
Beterbiev is a natural, lifelong airy heavyweight with arguably the best inside game in boxing history. Benavidez has shown he can get hit, as seen in his fights against Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell, and taking a shot without hitting Beterbiev is a different reality than giving it to a super middleweight.
It’s a 50/50 toss. Benavidez has youth and cardio on his side, but Beterbiev’s physical strength may be enough to push “The Monster” back for the first time in his career.
He also claimed that future options are already planned for Tim Tszyu and Errol Spence Jr.
“We are talking to Tim Tszyu and Errol Spence. All three have agreed to fight me.”
This is an ambitious statement from a fighter who has not competed since his defeat to Canelo Alvarez in 2023. Charlo turns 36 on May 19, and many fans believe the long break should mean tuning in or fighting a challenger first rather than immediately fighting for the champion. Charlo, however, made it clear that he still sees himself as the best man in the division.
The problem is that Jermell is essentially trying to cash his 2022 check in a completely different economy. PPV prices on PBC have increased to over $75, and asking fans to pay that for a guy who hasn’t won a fight since May 2022 is tough. This is a financial risk for promoters.
Jermell is used to unquestioned ‘money. If he’s asking for a huge guaranteed amount to fight Fundora or Ennis, the math just doesn’t work for the promoter unless the bid is above $150 or $200,000.
In boxing, three years is an eternity. Since Jermell stayed noiseless, we’ve seen the rise of Xander Zayas and the emergence of “Boots” Ennis at 154.
“I told you I was coming back. I told you I wanted my stripes,” Charlo said. “Nobody beat me by the belt.”
Promoters aren’t calling because Jermell’s confidence is currently low. If the promoter puts him in the main event and he looks like the version of himself that did or didn’t show up in the Canelo Alvarez match, the event is a disaster. Financially, it could still be a disaster.
Jermell wants the reward of a champion without the upgrade tax that every other veteran has to pay after a long layoff. With 2026 filled with newborn, hungry and busy talent, thinking that you can simply move to the front of the queue because of what you did four years ago is definitely a bold choice.
If Jermell had just gone for it and beaten some of the top 154 fighters like Israil Madrimov, Bakhram Murtazaliev and Brandon Adams, it wouldn’t have been much of a problem.
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Jermell Charlo is negotiating a fight with Sebastian Fundora
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