Scull was the mandatory challenger for Saul Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) on the IBF line, but the star Mexican chose the higher-paid option of Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs). As a result, Alvarez was stripped of his IBF title and Scull was assigned the boxer above him in the rankings, Shishkin proper, as his opponent.
The group AGON Sports, which won the tender for the organization of this meeting, announced the specific date and venue for this fight. Recall that Scull, a Cuban living in Germany and boxing for this stable, acquired the status of a contender in July 2022, when he defeated Evgeny Shvedenko by a large margin on points.