Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will face Cuban boxer William Scull on May 3 in Riyadh. The fight's a mandatory defense for Canelo's super middleweight titles and could shake up boxing's 2025 calendar.
Canelo, now 34, has to deal with this unexpected challenge before he can think about his much-talked-about clash with Terence Crawford. The Mexican champ's got a lot on the line - his belts, his focus, and his status as the top dog at super middleweight.
Alvarez brings a 62-2-2 record to the ring, with 39 knockouts. He's won titles in four weight classes and beaten some of the best in the sport. But he hasn't knocked anyone out since 2021. His trainer, Eddy Reynoso, will need to come up with a smart game plan.
Scull, known as "The Untamed," is no pushover. He's 32, undefeated in 23 fights, and just grabbed the IBF super middleweight title from Vladimir Shishkin. He's taller than Canelo and has a longer reach. But some folks question how good his opponents have been.
"Scull's got nothing to lose," said boxing analyst Mike Costello. "He's got a chance to pull off one of the biggest upsets we've seen in years."
Canelo's had to give up his IBF title because he wouldn't fight Scull earlier, choosing bigger payday fights instead. Now he's got no choice. He needs to win to keep his other belts and set up that Crawford fight everyone's talking about.
Scull's built his career away from the spotlight. He lives in Germany and hasn't fought on big TV networks. He's known for his tricky style and good defense, but he doesn't hit as hard as some other top fighters.
This fight's a real test for both men. Canelo's got to prove he's still the king of the super middleweights. Scull's got to show he belongs in the ring with one of boxing's biggest stars.
May 3 in Riyadh will tell us a lot about where both these fighters are headed. It's a fight that could change the course of boxing for the rest of the year.
