Canelo Alvarez says Dmitry Bivol is the only fighter who could pull him back to 175 pounds. The former undisputed super middleweight champion revealed this week that a rematch with Bivol is still the one unfinished fight that interests him above the division where he has spent most of the last four years.
Canelo is preparing for his September 12 fight against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh after losing his super middleweight titles last year to Terence Crawford. Crawford moved up two divisions to beat him by unanimous decision before retiring months later, leaving the division in flux and opening the door for Mbilli to become the full WBC champion.
If Canelo defeats Mbilli, attention is likely to return to possible fights against Hamzah Sheeraz or Osleys Iglesias at 168. But the Mexican star made it clear there is still one score he would like to settle at light heavyweight.
“If I go to 175[lbs], it’s to fight Bivol. Or maybe he [can] come down [to 168lbs],” said Canelo in an interview with Mr. Verzace’s podcast on YouTube.
The first fight between Canelo and Dmitry Bivol took place in 2022 and ended with Bivol winning a narrow 12-round decision. Canelo struggled with Bivol’s movement, jab, and size advantage during the contest, and he has not returned to 175 pounds since.
A rematch is far from guaranteed because Bivol still has major business waiting for him at light heavyweight. He returns this Saturday against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert after more than a year out of the ring.
Bivol is also being pursued by David Benavidez for a possible undisputed fight at 175 pounds. That matchup has become one of the biggest targets in the division, especially after Benavidez captured the WBC title.
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Last Updated on 2026/05/25 at 10:21 AM
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