Undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev edged out former WBA champion Dmitry Bivol via a controversial majority decision on Saturday. However, it appears he still failed to convince renowned trainer Robert Garcia about his supremacy. Why? Well, the former world champion, now trainer, felt Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez would beat Beterbiev. 

After the fight ended, Elie Seckbach from ES News caught up with Garcia in his gym, asking him who he fancied for a fight. “I thought Bivol pulled it off. But it was a very close fight. I can’t say it was a robbery either,” Garcia said. It’s worth noting that Bivol and Beterbiev were separated by 4 or fewer landed punches in 8 of the 12 rounds fought. 

Regardless, Seckbach probed Garcia further about expectations of how Canelo Alvarez would fare against Beterbiev. “I think Canelo beats him,” the veteran trainer quickly responded. Canelo hasn’t fought in the light heavyweight division since his loss to Bivol in 2022. However, he has expressed interest in avenging his loss to Bivol.

Still, that required Dmitry Bivol to beat Artur Beterbiev, which obviously did not happen. This has led many to pit Beterbiev and Canelo Alvarez together. When Garcia was asked about the reason behind his prediction, he said, “I just think Canelo beats him.” Similarly, Seckbach roped in David Benavidez, who is currently in the 175-pound division. 

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Interestingly, some reports had suggested he could face the winner of Beterbiev vs. Bivol a while back. However, with the rematch talks in full swing, Benavidez may have to wait till next year. Nonetheless, Garcia’s answer didn’t change when Benavidez was the proposed opponent for Beterbiev. 

“I just think they do. They’re fast, they throw combinations. and they’re strong too. They’re breathing strong. I think they beat him,” Garcia said when asked about the reason behind his prediction. Meanwhile, Dmitry Bivol has compared Canelo’s power with Artur Beterbiev’s. 

Dmitry Bivol on what it’s like fighting Artur Beterbiev

Despite suffering a bitter defeat at the hands of Beterbiev, Bivol became the first boxer to go the distance against his compatriot. Looking back at his fight against Beterbiev, the 33-year-old said, “The aura around Beterbiev is like: ‘He’s a monster.’ Some people will be scared of it, but I was excited.” 

He compared Beterbiev’s power to Canelo Alvarez, stating, “Beterbiev is more compact… every punch will be hard.” Bivol noted that while Canelo may hit harder with single punches, Beterbiev’s strength lies in his combinations, describing him as “not about a heavy punch” but instead delivering consistent power throughout the fight. 

While it’s interesting to speculate whether Canelo Alvarez or David Benavidez can beat Artur Beterbiev, Bivol’s own statement about his last opponent paints a grim picture for both Canelo and Benavidez. Regardless, do you think they can beat Beterbiev?