LAS VEGAS — Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez should breeze past Saturday opponent Jermell Charlo but may well have his hands full should he compete against David Benavidez.
That's according to Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez who told ProBox TV on Friday that he expects Canelo to win his upcoming fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
"I think he will [win]," Zurdo told us. "It's an exciting fight because of two [undisputed] champions but I think he will win this fight."
Ramirez talked to us just one week before he headlines a Las Vegas show of his own when he competes against Joe Smith Jr. in a catchweight bout within the confines of the cruiserweight range.
Golden Boy Promotions have organized the show which takes place October 7 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The event airs on DAZN.
Zurdo has been linked with Canelo before but the weight gap between them is now too vast as Ramirez, a former super middleweight, is now heading to 200-pounds.
Canelo, meanwhile, is best suited to 168-pounds — at most.
The fight against Charlo is the first on Canelo's new three-fight deal with Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions.
A source with knowledge of PBC's plan for Canelo told us that, while any strategy is "tentative" and depends entirely on how upcoming fights play out, Canelo could fight Jermell's brother Jermall in his second PBC fight, before taking on David Benavidez in his third fight.
ProBox TV asked Zurdo if he believes Benavidez is the one who would give Canelo the toughest test out of the PBC options.
"I think, right now, yes," Zurdo told us. "That's a beautiful fight for him."
