It will be this Saturday, October 12, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when Artur Beterbiev seeks to solidify his legacy as he faces Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. The fight could pave the way for an even more high-profile showdown against Canelo Álvarez or David Benavidez in the future.

John Scully, Beterbiev’s trainer, is clear that his fighter’s next big bout should be for both glory and financial gain. While he would love for Canelo Álvarez to move back up to 175 pounds to face Beterbiev, he acknowledges that the size difference could present a significant challenge.

Is Canelo too small for Beterbiev?

Scully expressed caution when discussing a potential fight between Canelo and the Russian champion. "I’d love for Canelo to move up again," Scully admitted in an interview for the United Boxing podcast. However, he noted that Canelo avoided Beterbiev when he moved up to light heavyweight to fight Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol, but never faced the Russian.

The trainer understands the strategic reasons behind Canelo's decision. "I’m not one to call anyone a coward. I understand this is a business," Scully remarked, emphasizing that while Canelo has faced two light heavyweights, his decision to avoid Beterbiev was no coincidence: "Obviously, there was a reason for it."

Scully is not the only one questioning whether Canelo could take on Beterbiev. While Álvarez defeated Kovalev in 2019 and challenged Bivol in 2022, his fight with Kovalev had weight stipulations that Scully believes put the Russian at a disadvantage. "Kovalev wasn’t allowed to regain weight after the weigh-in. It was like shooting him in the head. You killed him with that clause," Scully said, recalling the controversy surrounding Canelo’s win.

Will Canelo return to 175 pounds?

Though Scully recognizes the financial and media appeal of a Beterbiev-Canelo fight, he is convinced that Canelo would be "too small" to take on his fighter. While the monetary incentives are tempting, Scully can’t overlook the physical disparity between the two.

"If you remember the fight with GGG, he made Canelo look small. Now imagine how Canelo would look next to Artur," Scully said, highlighting how much more noticeable the size difference would be against a knockout artist like Beterbiev, who has stopped all of his opponents.

Is Benavidez a more viable option?

Although a fight with Canelo would be a dream for both Scully and boxing fans, the trainer also suggests another intriguing alternative: David Benavidez. The American, who recently moved up to 175 pounds and defeated former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, could be a worthy challenger for Beterbiev.

"For the money and the fame, I’d love to see the Canelo fight, but I think the bigger, though probably less lucrative, fight would be against Benavidez," Scully explained. He believes Benavidez’s aggressive style and physical strength would make for a compelling matchup. "If people are calling Benavidez 'The Monster,' then Artur is the real monster. Let’s be honest. He’s not going to match power with Artur," Scully added, confident that Beterbiev would overpower the American.