Mike Tyson has weighed in with a prediction for a potential clash between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez, and Tyson’s pick may come as a surprise to fans.
The pair are widely regarded as the two best super middleweights on the planet, and have been incessantly linked to a fight since Benavidez’ impressive win over Caleb Plant earlier this year.
Speaking on the Boxing Arabia podcast, Tyson revealed he would back Benavidez to dethrone Canelo, who ‘Iron Mike’ believes may be slightly past his best.
“Benavidez is my guy, I think he can beat anybody in the division. I love Canelo, but he’s not going to beat him. He’s a little past his prime.”
“I think he [Benavidez] could even beat the guy who beat Canelo, Dmitriy Bivol.”
Despite the clamouring for an all Mexican affair, a meeting between Canelo and Benavidez looks unlikely to happen anytime soon, with the former set to rematch Dmitriy Bivol later in the year, provided he gets through mandatory challenger John Ryder on May 6.
Canelo puts his undisputed super middleweight crown on the line against WBO interim belt holder, Ryder, at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, his first time he will have fought in his native Mexico in over a decade.
If, as is expected, he gets past Ryder, a second shot at WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol is expected to be finalised for September.
Bivol overturned the betting odds to defeat Canelo last May to keep hold of his strap at 175lbs, though is now reportedly demanding that any rematch takes place at 168lbs for all four of Canelo’s world titles.