Timothy Bradley Jr believes David Benavidez poses a serious threat to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

Canelo Alvarez is reportedly considering stepping up two weight classes to cruiserweight to challenge for the WBC championship, with Ilunga Makabu likely to get the call to face him later this year.

But Bradley Jr would rather him face Benavidez instead as he insists it would be a much bigger fight akin to Canelo's clash with Floyd Mayweather in September 2013.

The American has become a well-respected pundit since retiring from boxing in 2017 and has warned the Mexican about his fellow countryman's abilities. 

Discussing Canelo's next opponent with Max Kellerman, Bradley, 38, told ESPN: “I want to see Canelo face David Benavidez.

"That’s the guy that everybody wants to see him face you know.

"He’s a big guy in the division, he was a champion until he lost his belt on the scales, and I believe he’s a guy that would pose a threat to Canelo Alvarez.

"He’s young, he’s brash, he's 25 years old, and he's the type of guy that I think would bring the best out of Canelo. 

“If you look at Canelo with the last guys that he faced, yeah, they were world champions, but if you look at how much he was a favourite, 7-1, 8-1 favourite going into a championship fight.

“No, we want to see Canelo matched tough against someone that is going to push him because we want to see how great this kid really is, and I believe David Benavidez is that guy for Canelo Alvarez."

Two-time WBC super-middleweight champion Benavidez has won all of his professional fights to date and boasts wins against Anthony Dirrell and Ronald Gravill. 

He lost it the first time after testing positive for cocaine, before being stripped of the title again for missing weight.   

Bradley added: “Canelo wants to be in the big events. That’s what it’s all about. I believe that David Benavidez brings that.

"He’s a brash talker; he’s young, he’s 25 years old. Do you remember when Mayweather and Canelo got together?

“Canelo, I believe, was 23 years old when they faced each other, and Mayweather got the best of him.

"This is that same situation that I believe that Canelo Alvarez can put in front of himself against David Benavidez.

“Being the young guy, all he’s going to get over time is he’s going to get better. So you might as well get him now in an entertaining fight.”

READ MORE: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua 'lack the skill' of Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali, claims Larry Holmes