Canelo Alvarez will fight IBF champion William Scull on May 3 in Riyadh. The Mexican superstar will try to become a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion.
Alvarez held all four belts at 168lbs but lost the IBF crown last year. He got stripped of the title when he chose to fight Edgar Berlanga instead of his mandatory challenger, Scull. The Cuban fighter then picked up the vacant IBF strap with a unanimous decision win over Vladimir Shishkin in Germany last October.
Before the Scull bout was confirmed, Alvarez was linked to a fight with Jake Paul. The social media star turned pro boxer recently defeated Mike Tyson. Reports said talks between Canelo and the 27-year-old fell apart at the last minute. Paul claims Canelo has 'ducked' him.
Teddy Atlas, a well-known boxing commentator, shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel THE FIGHT:
"At the end of the day, I don't know if the Scull fight will be any more dangerous, oh do I dare say this? … Do we know that the William Scull fight will really be more entertaining than a Paul fight would have been? Do we know that?"
Atlas suggests the Scull fight might not be as exciting as a potential Jake Paul matchup.
Paul hasn't said when he'll fight next. His promotion company, MVP, is talking with 'multiple high-profile opponents'. Fans want Paul to face tougher competition than he has in the past.
The Alvarez-Scull fight will happen in Riyadh. Alvarez, 34, comes from Guadalajara, Mexico, while Scull, 32, is Cuban. It's a big chance for both fighters to prove themselves at the top level of the sport.
