“Canelo, Bivol, and Beterbiev,” Benavidez said to ESPN Knockout about guys he desires to face. When pressed on who he would knock out, his answer didn’t change.
“I knock out all three. All three in the identical night.”
The “all three in a single night” comment is pure promotional theater. By grouping Canelo, Bivol, and Beterbiev together, he’s presenting himself because the only logical final boss for all three.
Canelo has ignored him for years. Outrageous claims are sometimes the one option to get the general public to clamor loudly enough that a superstar can not justify the business move of avoiding a dangerous contender.
Saying he’d knock out three legends in a single night matches the “Monster” persona perfectly, even when he knows it’s physically unattainable.
Benavidez is probably going “serious” within the sense that he truly believes he’s the perfect fighter on this planet. Nevertheless, the particular “one night” claim is 100% geared toward the casual fans who only tune in when the headlines are explosive.
He knows that to turn out to be the “face of boxing,” he needs a narrative. Wins aren’t enough. If he can take Ramirez’s belts on May 2, that “bluster” suddenly starts looking like a prophecy, and the pressure on Canelo to fight him in September will reach a boiling point.
Since moving as much as 175 lbs, Benavidez has proved he belongs physically, but he not has the huge size advantage he used to bully opponents with at 168 lbs.
Most analysts consider Bivol the toughest puzzle for Benavidez to resolve. Benavidez relies on high-volume combos and wearing opponents down. Bivol is a master of distance, footwork, and the “in-and-out” style.
Bivol’s jab and lateral movement are designed to neutralize pressure fighters. Of their past sparring sessions, which each have commented on, Bivol reportedly handled Benavidez’s aggression well.
Benavidez has the hand speed to compete, but many experts imagine Bivol would outpoint him in a lopsided decision by staying off the ropes and exploiting Benavidez’s occasionally wide punches.
Artur Beterbiev is the fight fans are dying to see since it’s a “phone booth” war. Each men wish to stand in the middle of the ring and trade. Beterbiev has terrifying, heavy-handed power, while Benavidez has the faster, “stinging” combos.
Beterbiev is a natural, lifelong light heavyweight with arguably the perfect “inside game” in boxing history. Benavidez has shown he will be hit, as seen in his fights with Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell, and taking a flush shot from Beterbiev is a special reality than taking one from an excellent middleweight.
This can be a 50/50 toss-up. Benavidez has youth and cardio on his side, but Beterbiev’s physical strength could be enough to push the “Monster” backward for the primary time in his profession.
