David Benavidez Seen As Canelo’s True Successor

Munguia’s biggest problem is that the super middleweight division is packed with dangerous fighters that fans expect him to face before anyone accepts him as the next Mexican superstar.

Osleys Iglesias, Christian Mbilli, Diego Pacheco, Hamzah Sheeraz, and Benavidez are all viewed as legitimate threats at 168 or nearby weight classes. Unlike Canelo, Munguia does not have years of built-in popularity or a long championship run to protect him from criticism if he avoids those kinds of fights.

That reality became even tougher after Munguia’s knockout loss to Bruno Surace in December 2024. Although Munguia avenged the defeat, critics still view the first fight as a major red flag because Surace was seen as a manageable opponent at the time.

Munguia later returned to defeat Armando Resendiz for the WBA belt earlier this month, but many fans still do not see his record as strong enough to place him ahead of Benavidez as the likely successor to Canelo.

The discussion may only grow louder depending on what happens on September 12, when Canelo returns against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh. Mbilli is younger, aggressive, throws nonstop combinations, and is viewed by many fans as one of the most dangerous fighters at 168. A loss for Canelo would likely accelerate the debate over who really becomes the next major Mexican star in boxing.