Reynoso confirms 168 plan as opponent search shifts within super middleweight division
Canelo Alvarez will not face David Benavidez or Dmitry Bivol in his next fight. Eddy Reynoso confirmed the return will stay at 168 pounds for a planned September 12 bout in Saudi Arabia.
The decision narrows the focus to a super middleweight opponent rather than the bigger fights that have followed him for years. Reynoso made it clear that the direction is set when discussing the next move.
“We’re staying at 168. That’s the plan right now,” Reynoso said to Elie Seckbach.
“There’s no reason to move up. We’re focused on what’s there.”
That stance effectively rules out a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who handed Canelo a clear decision loss in 2022, as well as a long-discussed fight with David Benavidez, now campaigning above the division.
Canelo’s return will be his first fight since the loss to Terence Crawford in September 2025, when Crawford moved up and took his undisputed crown before retiring. That defeat shifted attention back to reclaiming titles at 168 rather than chasing fights at higher weights.
Canelo is leaning into his new “Mexico vs. The World” team format in Saudi Arabia. This setup allows him to headline a massive event without necessarily needing a tough opponent.
While he might handle Munguia or Berlanga based on experience alone, fighters like Osleys Iglesias and Lester Martinez bring a physical pressure that a 35-year-old Canelo, fresh off elbow surgery, might no longer be able to repel.
The “Mexico vs. The World” theme for the September 12 Riyadh card certainly makes the winner of Armando Reséndiz vs. Jaime Munguía scheduled for May 2 in Las Vegas a glaringly obvious target.
If Canelo is looking for the path of least resistance to a world title, the WBA route through Reséndiz is arguably the most attractive glue available.