Artur Beterbiev Reveals His Only Condition to Fight Canelo Alvarez

Published 04/15/2024, 7:09 PM EDT

Artur Beterbiev is set to fight Dmitry Bivol on June 1st, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But Canelo Alvarez’s name never gets left out. Alvarez, who Bivol faced in 2022 and won against has again come up in the discussion. But would Beterbiev do what Bivol did? Apparently not.

At least not right now. Beterbiev has a condition, that Canelo might not be interested in fulfilling any time soon. What is this condition? And does it affect Beterbiev in any way?

No Canelo Alvarez match… Unless

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Beterbiev sets a “condition” for a Canelo rematch. While the boxing world fixates on the upcoming undisputed light-heavyweight title fight between Beterbiev (20-0) and Bivol (22-0) on June 1st, Artur Beterbiev threw another interesting fight possibility into the mix during a post-press conference interview with Fight Hub TV.

When directly asked, “Artur would you welcome a fight with Canelo if he wants to have another shot at the light heavyweight title,” Beterbiev’s response was clear and concise: “I am not really interested in a fight with Canelo because when he gets another belt in my category, that time I want to. Because he has a belt in my category but now no.”

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In other words, Beterbiev is politely declining a match for now. However, his statement hints at a potential future fight with Canelo, but only if Canelo reclaims a light-heavyweight title. But if Canelo gets the option to choose between Benavidez and Beterbiev, would he choose Artur?

Is Artur Beterbiev the bigger challenge?

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Canelo Alvarez, set to fight Jaime Munguia on May 4th, not so long ago expressed a clear preference for his next opponent, setting his sights higher up the weight class. During a media interaction, when faced with the choice between David Benavidez and Artur Beterbiev, Canelo decisively favored Beterbiev.

Canelo admits that Beterbiev would be a much tougher fight than David Benavidez#Canelo | #Boxing | #ArturBeterbiev pic.twitter.com/Zk46SZHh9d
— BoxingEnthusiast (@BoxingEnth) January 14, 2024

Canelo explained his decision, citing the appeal of facing a current champion with impressive credentials. “Beterbiev, because he is a champion. He has something to offer me, he is strong, he is at a different weight. A lot of things, a lot of things,” said Canelo. This statement underscores his strategic approach to selecting fights that enhance his legacy, choosing opponents who bring not just a challenge but also additional prestige to the ring.

What do you think about Canelo’s decision to prioritize a fight with Beterbiev? Is he really the bigger draw, or is Canelo underestimating Benavidez? Let us know what you think in the comment section.

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Written by:

Mrinal Mishra is a senior writer for Boxing at EssentiallySports. With over 1300+ articles to his name, Mrinal’s articles often find congratulatory mentions from boxing greats like Mia St. John.

Edited by:

Gokul Pillai

Artur Beterbiev Reveals His Only Condition to Fight Canelo Alvarez

No Canelo Alvarez match… Unless

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Is Artur Beterbiev the bigger challenge?