David Benavidez is calling for a showdown featuring Canelo Alvarez and Janibek Alimkhanuly, though he readily admits the matchup is unlikely to ever materialize. His logic for remaining doubtful is clear: Janibek brings immense threat into the ring with very little of the mainstream popularity needed to entice Canelo into signing the contract.
Should the rumors regarding Canelo’s February ring return prove accurate, Janibek is essentially out of contention. He is slated to clash with Jacob Bank for the vacant WBO super middleweight crown on January 23, which leaves virtually no time to recover and prepare for Canelo. Janibek has to overcome Bank first before any showdown with the Mexican superstar becomes a realistic discussion.
“The only fight that I would love to see him against, which would be a great fight, was with Janibek,” Benavidez mentioned on Fight Hub TV. “But I don’t think that would ever happen.”
Benavidez did not elaborate on his thought process, yet the tactical elements of the matchup speak volumes. Janibek represents a deeply problematic style for the current iteration of Canelo, who spent extended stretches waiting for Christian Mbilli to open up counterpunching opportunities.
While Mbilli allowed Canelo to stall his attack using firm jabs and the perpetual menace of hard counters, Janibek boxes with significantly greater finesse. Utilizing an exceptional amateur background, he sets up his offense methodically, employing a southpaw jab to dictate distance instead of stepping directly into danger without protection.
This technical foundation shifts the strategic advantage in Janibek’s favor. His longer reach requires Canelo to exert much more effort simply to get inside, while his perimeter boxing offers a smooth strategy to collect rounds without entering dangerous exchanges.
Canelo would undoubtedly secure opportunities to dig to the body and test Janibek with sharp counterpunches. In those moments, Janibek would have to maintain complete composure when taking clean strikes—a requirement that is far simpler to plan for than to execute under intense pressure.
The ringside officials pose a completely distinct hurdle. Gennadiy Golovkin peppered Canelo with his jab throughout their initial encounter only to receive a draw. Janibek could perform masterfully in the ring and still realize that simply landing more punches than Canelo does not assure a favorable decision from the judges.
Stepping into the ring with Janibek gives Canelo a severe tactical problem while offering very little reward at the box office. Benavidez highlighted an intriguing battle, yet persuading promoters to put the event together is an entirely different task.
