Canelo vs Benavidez Will Have To Wait Till May 2024 As Mexican Star Plots Bivol Revenge

Former two-time WBC Super Middleweight champion David Benavidez scored the biggest win of his career last Saturday when he decisioned former IBF champion Caleb Plant in their highly-anticipated Showtime PPV collision in front of 13,865 fans in Las Vegas, USA.

Plant amassed an early lead over Benavidez but as the fight went into the later rounds, the volume and pressure was too much for Plant who convincingly gave up the last third of the fight which cost him the victory. Benavidez won by unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112 and 117-111).

In the immediate aftermath, the 26-year-old called out P4P star and undisputed 168-pound titleist Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) for a September fight, a showdown that has also been called for by boxing fans around the world.

Alvarez defends his four titles against WBO mandatory challenger Britain’s John Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) on May 6 at the 46,000-plus capacity Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico. Canelo vs Ryder will stream on DAZN pay-per-view in the United States and Canada and as part of the regular subscription worldwide.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed to iFL TV that Canelo vs Benavidez will not take place in September with Canelo and his trainer/manager Reynoso instructing Hearn to make a rematch with WBA Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol for September.

“We are very far down the line with the Dmitry Bivol fight, I think John Ryder May 6 and then Dmitry Bivol and then I see no reason why he can’t fight Benavidez…I think it’s a great fight.”

Bivol is expected to make a voluntary defence in the meantime with June 17 in the United States touted for him. No opponent has been confirmed but is expected to be a standard, top-15 opponent.

By Darshan Desai

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