“Canelo, Bivol and Beterbiev,” Benavidez told ESPN Knockout about guys he wants to face. When pressed on who he would knock out, his answer did not change.
“I knock out all three. All three in the same night.”
The comment of “all three in one night” is pure promotional theatre. By grouping Canelo, Bivol and Beterbiev together, he presents himself as the only logical final boss for all three.
Canelo has ignored him for years. Outrageous claims are often the only way to get the public to scream loud enough that a superstar can no longer justify the business move to avoid a dangerous competitor.
Saying he’ll knock out three legends in one night fits the “Monster” persona perfectly, even if he knows it’s physically impossible.
Benavidez is probably “serious” in the sense that he truly believes he is the best fighter in the world. However, the specific “one night” claim is 100% aimed at the casual fans who only tune in when the headlines are explosive.
He knows that he needs a narrative to become the “face of boxing”. Victories are not enough. If he can take Ramirez’s belts on May 2nd, that “blower” suddenly starts to look like a prophecy, and the pressure on Canelo to fight him in September will reach a boiling point.
Since moving up to 175 lbs, Benavidez has proven that he belongs physically, but he no longer has the massive size advantage he used to bully opponents at 168 lbs.
Most analysts consider Bivol to be the most difficult puzzle for Benavidez to solve. Benavidez relies on high volume combinations and exhausting opponents. Bivol is a master of distance, footwork and the “in-and-out” style.
Bivol’s jab and lateral movement is designed to neutralize pressure fighters. In their previous sparring sessions, which both commented on, Bivol apparently handled Benavidez’s aggression well.
Benavidez has the hand speed to compete, but many experts believe Bivol will outplay him in a lopsided decision by staying off the ropes and exploiting Benavidez’s sometimes wide punches.
Artur Beterbiev is the fight that fans want to see because it is a “phone booth” war. Both men want to stand in the middle of the ring and trade. Beterbiev has fearsome, heavy-handed power, while Benavidez has the faster, “stabbing” combinations.
Beterbiev is a natural, lifelong light heavyweight with arguably the best “inside game” in boxing history. Benavidez has shown he can be hit, as seen in his fights with Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell, and taking a flush shot from Beterbiev is a different reality than taking one from a super middleweight.
It’s a 50/50 toss up. Benavidez has youth and cardio on his side, but Beterbiev’s physical strength may be enough to push the “Monster” backwards for the first time in his career.
