Canelo Álvarez, the face of boxing, showcased his dominance once again on Saturday night as he cruised to victory against William Scull, claiming the undisputed 168-pound championship for the second time in his storied career. The result, though predictable, sets the stage for a highly anticipated clash later this year with Terence Crawford.
A Comfortable Victory in Riyadh
The fight, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was largely a formality for Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs), who had already established himself as the undisputed champion before. Scull (23-1, 9 KOs), despite his undefeated record heading into the bout, struggled to make any significant impact on the fight. From the opening bell, Scull seemed content to evade rather than engage, trying to survive the rounds with minimal effort.
In a match that was widely considered a tune-up for the bigger showdown with Crawford, Alvarez’s performance was efficient, if not thrilling. The Mexican superstar dominated the 12-round fight, securing a unanimous decision victory with scores of 119-109, 116-112, and 115-113. Despite Scull’s elusive movements around the perimeter, Alvarez controlled the action from start to finish.
“I don’t like to fight those kinds of guys,” Alvarez confessed after the fight. “They came to just survive to the final round. That’s why I don’t like to fight them. It won’t be that kind of fight [against Crawford]. I hate that kind of fight.”
Indeed, the matchup with Scull proved to be a sluggish affair, with both fighters averaging fewer than five punches per round. It became clear that Alvarez’s power punches to Scull’s body were the difference-maker, even if the bout lacked the fireworks fans had hoped for.
Scull’s Challenge and the Unofficial Fight of the Night
Though the fight wasn’t exactly one for the history books, it was historically slow in its own right. The 445 punches thrown by both men combined marked the fewest punches in a 12-round fight in CompuBox’s 40-year history. Despite Alvarez’s dominance, both he and Scull received warnings from the referee for inactivity, further underlining the lack of action in the ring.
However, for all the criticism of the bout’s pace, the result was a decisive one in favor of Alvarez, who reclaimed the IBF title that had been stripped from him last year after he declined to face Scull.
Setting Up a Clash for the Ages
With the victory, Alvarez has now extended his winning streak to six straight bouts, with all of them going the distance. But what looms large is his highly anticipated clash with Terence Crawford on September 12 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The undefeated welterweight champion, Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), was in attendance at the fight and wasted no time stepping into the ring to face off with Alvarez, sending a clear message to fans: The big fight is officially on.
As for Crawford’s thoughts on Alvarez’s performance, he was succinct: “He did what he had to do to get the job done, for what was in front of him.”
Alvarez, ever the competitor, welcomed the challenge. “I feel great. Crawford is one of the best out there, and, you know, I like to share the ring with that kind of fighter,” Alvarez said. “It’s my pleasure.”
The Road Ahead: An Exciting Showdown with Crawford
While the fight with Scull didn’t provide the drama that many fans had hoped for, it did exactly what Alvarez needed it to do: It set up a collision course with one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, Terence Crawford. That September bout is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in recent boxing history.
With Alvarez’s body work continuing to shine and Crawford bringing a relentless offensive style to the ring, fans can expect a high-intensity battle in Las Vegas, where both men will look to cement their legacies as two of the greatest boxers of their generation.
As for now, Alvarez has his eyes firmly set on Crawford, and as he said, “It won’t be that kind of fight.” Fans can only hope that the encounter will deliver the excitement and action that was missing in Riyadh. For Canelo, it’s back to the gym to prepare for the challenge of his life in September.
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