Canelo Alvarez believes that David Benavidez will overcome Caleb Plant when the pair meet on March 25 in Las Vegas.
Benavidez and Plant will contest the WBC interim super middleweight belt at MGM Grand Garden Arena, live on SHOWTIME pay-per-view, with the winner becoming mandatory challenger to Canelo, who holds all four world titles at 168lbs.
Canelo stopped Plant in eleven rounds to become undisputed champion in November 2021, but feels age and strength is on the side of the undefeated Benavidez.
“I think Benavidez [will win],” Canelo told ES News.
“Because he is stronger, younger, so I think Benavidez.”
The American rivals traded words during a heated first press conference in Los Angeles last week, in which organisers of the event abandoned the customary face-off to avoid any potential altercation.
Alvarez has been out of the ring since overcoming Gennady Golovkin in their third meeting in September and is expected to return against WBO mandator challenger, John Ryder in May, with Promoter Eddie Hearn suggesting a possible homecoming fight in Mexico for the four-weight world champion.
Victory over Ryder is anticipated to set-up a rematch for the 32-year-old against WBA light heavyweight world champion, Dmitry Bivol, who inflicted only a second loss on Canelo’s professional record with a comprehensive points victory in Las Vegas in May.
A rematch could reportedly take place at super middleweight for Alvarez’s belts, while their first meeting was at light heavyweight for Bivol’s strap.
“I’m just going to start training,” he added.
“Start hitting the bags and I’m going to see in a couple of weeks what happens.
“Whether I fight in May or wait until September.
View this post on Instagram
“I know me too.
“I know I’m going to beat him [Bivol] in the rematch.”
