Canelo vs. Betebiev is the biggest fight in boxing – will we get it next?

The light heavyweight championship fight between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on October 12 produced the first undisputed champion in the weight class in the four-belt era.

Beterbiev received the majority decision 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112. It was a high-octane chess match between the two experienced fighters. Bivol ended Beterbiev's knockout streak but didn't do enough to win the fight.

As a result, Beterbiev now holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO world titles (21-0, 20 KOs). Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on track for a rematch, with Saudi authorities having expressed interest in one in 2025. For Beterbiev, only one fight looms larger.

However, a fight between Artur Beterbiev and Canelo Alvarez would be the biggest fight in boxing. It would be a fight between the first four-belt champion at 168 pounds (Alvarez) and 175 pounds (Beterbiev).

Alvarez is one of the few fighters who attracts occasional fan interest. Canelo is reportedly interested in this fight. The contrast in styles also suggests this could be a fan favorite.

For Canelo, this fight would be redemption after his loss to Dmitry Bivol in May 2022. This victory that earned Bivol Sports Illustrated the title of “Fighter of the Year”. Bivol won by unanimous decision with a score of 115-113 from all three judges. However, Alvarez has other options, such as a showdown in the UK with Chris Eubank Jr.

Canelo is the biggest star in the sport and can of course fight anywhere. However, the sport's big-money fights are currently concentrated in Saudi Arabia, so it's almost certain Beterbiev will fight there next. Without Saudi Arabia's interest, it would have been difficult to create a business model for Beterbiev-Bivol.

Both Beterbiev and Bivol have been based in North America (Canada and the USA respectively) for many years, but do not have a large following there. The fight would have made sense in Russia, but would never have happened due to the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

For example, the World Boxing Council (WBC) banned Russian fighters from defending their titles after invading Ukraine. The ban was one of the main obstacles to the earlier conduct of the proceedings, and the sanctioning body insisted on sticking to this position whenever the issue of Bivol vs. Beterbiev was first raised.

Beterbiev is always up for a challenge. He turns 41 in January, so it's now or never for him as the sport's top earner.

While we will most likely see a rematch between Beterbiev and Bivol in 2025, a clash between Canelo Alvarez and Artur Beterbiev would be boxing's true major event.

(Additional reporting by Zenger)