Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will face Cuban boxer William Scull on May 3 in Riyadh. The fight's a mandatory defense for Canelo that could shake up his plans to fight Terence Crawford and change the boxing world's schedule for 2025.
Canelo, the 34-year-old Mexican superstar, must defend his WBC, WBA, and WBO super middleweight titles against the undefeated Scull. The IBF stripped Canelo of their belt when he chose not to fight Scull earlier, going for bigger paydays instead.
Alvarez has had an amazing career as a four-division champ, beating the best of the best. But he hasn't knocked anyone out since 2021. His trainer, Eddy Reynoso, says Canelo's still got his smarts in the ring, great timing, and can adapt to any style. But some folks think he's lost a step and doesn't hit as hard as he used to.
Scull, nicknamed "The Untamed," won the IBF title by beating Vladimir Shishkin. At 32, he's taller than Canelo and has a longer reach. He fights out of Germany and hasn't been on TV much.
"Scull's got a tricky style," says boxing analyst Joe Cortez. "He's good at not getting hit clean and keeps his head out of trouble. But he doesn't throw many punches and won't scare anyone with his power. It's not the kind of fighting fans love to watch."
Canelo's got to win this one if he wants that big money fight with Crawford. For Scull, he's got nothing to lose and everything to gain. If he wins, it'll be one of the biggest shocks in boxing this year.
The fight's important for Canelo. He needs to show he's still the king of the super middleweights. But Scull's not going to make it easy. He's taller, has longer arms, and knows how to stay out of trouble.
We'll see on May 3 if Canelo can keep his titles and set up that Crawford fight, or if Scull can pull off the upset of the year.
