WBC Special Preview: Canelo vs. Scull
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Super Middleweight World Championship
May 3, 2025 / Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / ANB Arena
RIYADH SEASON and CANELO PROMOTIONS PRESENT :
SAÚL “Canelo” ÁLVAREZ (Mexico)
· WBC Super Middleweight World Champion, 8 Title Defenses
· Former 2-time WBC Middleweight World Champion, 1 Title Defense…
· Former WBC Super Welterweight World Champion, 6 Title Defenses…
Age: 34 / Date of birth: July 18, 1990
Residence: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico / Birthplace: Juanacatlán, Jalisco, Mexico
Record: 62-2-2, 39 KOs / Total rounds: 508 / World championship fights: 23-2-1, 11 KOs
Height: 5’8” – 173cm / Reach: 70.5” – 179cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager, trainer: Edison “Eddy” Reynoso
WILLIAM “El Indomable” SCULL (Cuba/Germany)
· IBF Super Middleweight World Champion
Age: 32 / Date of birth: June 6, 1992
Residence: Berlin, Germany / Birthplace: Matanzas, Cuba
Record: 23-0, 9 KOs / Total rounds: 144 / World championship fights: 1-0, 0 KOs
Height: 5’11.5″ / Stance: Right-handed
Promoter: Ingo Volckmann / Trainer: Franquis Aldama
WBC SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Ray Leonard (US) 1988 – 1990
2. Mauro Galvano (Italy) 1990 – 1992
3. Nigel Benn (GB) 1992 – 1996
4. Thulane Malinga (S. Afr) 1996
5. Vincenzo Nardiello (Ita) 1996
6. Robin Reid (GB) 1996 – 1997
7. Thulane Malinga (S. Afr) * 1997 – 1998
8. Richie Woodhall (GB) 1998 – 1999
9. Markus Beyer (Germany) 1999 – 2000
10. Glenn Catley (GB) 2000
11. Dingaan Thobela (S. Afr) 2000
12. Dave Hilton (Can) 2000
13. Eric Lucas (Can) 2001 – 2003
14. Markus Beyer (Germany) * 2003 – 2004
15. Danny Green (Australia) (Interim) 2003 – 2005
16. Cristian Sanavia (Italy) 2004
17. Markus Beyer (Germany) * 2004 – 2006
18. Mikkel Kessler (Den) 2006 – 2007
19. Joe Calzaghe (GB) 2007
20. Carl Froch (GB) 2008 – 2010
21. Mikkel Kessler (Den) * (Emeritus) 2010
22. Carl Froch (GB) * 2010 – 2011
23. Andre Ward (US) 2011 – 2012
24. Sakio Bika (Cameroon) 2013
25. Anthony Dirrell (US) 2014 – 2015
26. Badou Jack (Sweden-US) 2015 – 2017
27. David Benavidez (US) 2017 – 2018
28. Anthony Dirrell (US) * 2019
29. David Benavidez (US)* 2019 – 2020
30. Canelo Alvarez (Mexico) 2020 –
* Regained
WBC TOP 10 SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONS
1. Ray Leonard (US)
2. Joe Calzaghe (GB)
3. Nigel Benn (GB)
4. Andre Ward (US)
5. Markus Beyer (Germany)
6. Carl Froch (GB)
7. Mikkel Kessler (Denmark)
8. Robin Reid (GB)
9. Danny Green (Australia)
10. Eric Lucas (Canada)
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY
25 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, five of whom have regained the title: Thulane Malinga (S. Africa), Markus Beyer two times (Germany), Carl Froch (GB), Anthony Dirrell (US), David Benavidez (US).
77 super middleweight world championships bouts have been sanctioned in WBC history.
MEMORABLE WBC SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
Sep. 14, 2024 Canelo Alvarez W12 Edgar Berlanga – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 4, 2024 Canelo Alvarez W12 Jaime Munguia – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 30, 2023 Canelo Alvarez W12 Jermell Charlo – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 6, 2023 Canelo Alvarez W12 John Ryder – Zapopan, Jalisco
Sep. 17, 2022 Canelo Alvarez W12 Gennady Golovkin – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 6, 2021 Canelo Alvarez TKO11 Caleb Plant – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 8, 2021 Canelo Alvarez TKO8 Billy Joe Saunders – Arlington, Texas
Feb. 27, 2021 Canelo Alvarez TKO3 Avni Yildirim – Miami Gardens, Florida
Dec. 19, 2020 Canelo Alvarez W12 Callum Smith – San Antonio, Texas
Feb. 23, 2019 Anthony Dirrell TW10 Avni Yildirim – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sep. 28, 2019 David Benavidez KO9 Anthony Dirrell – Los Angeles, California
Feb. 23, 2019 Anthony Dirrell TW10 Avni Yildirim – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Feb. 17, 2018 David Benavidez W12 Ronald Gavril – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 8, 2017 David Benavidez W12 Ronald Gavril – Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 14, 2017 Badou Jack D12 James DeGale – Brooklyn, New York
Apr. 30, 2016 Badou Jack D12 Lucian Bute – Washington, D.C.
Sep. 9, 2015 Badou Jack W12 George Groves – Las Vegas, Nevada
Apr. 24, 2015 Badou Jack W12 Anthony Dirrell – Chicago, Illinois
Aug. 16, 2014 Anthony Dirrell W12 Sakio Bika – Carson, California
Sep. 8, 2012 Andre Ward TKO10 Chad Dawson – Oakland, California
Dec. 17, 2011 Andre Ward W12 Carl Froch – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Nov. 27, 2010 Carl Froch W12 Arthur Abraham – Helsinki, Finland
Dec. 6, 2008 Carl Froch W12 Jean Pascal – Nottingham, England
Nov. 3, 2007 Joe Calzaghe w12 Mikkel Kessler – Cardiff, Wales
Oct. 14, 2006 Mikkel Kessler KO3 Markus Beyer – Copenhagen, Denmark
Mar. 12, 2005 Markus Beyer W12 Danny Green – Zwickau, Germany
Jul. 10, 2001 Eric Lucas KO7 Glenn Catley – Montreal, Quebec
Mar. 27, 198 Richie Woodhall W12 Thulani Malinga – Telford, England
May 3, 1997 Robin Reid W12 Henry Wharton – Manchester, England
Mar. 2, 1996 Thulani Malinga W12 Nigel Benn – Newcastle, England
Oct. 3, 1992 Nigel Benn TKO4 Mauro Galvano – Marino, Italy
Dec. 7, 1989 Sugar Ray Leonard W12 Roberto Duran – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 7, 1988 Sugar Ray Leonard W12 Donny Lalonde – Las Vegas, Nevada
Red Dawn in Riyadh
By James Blears
Saul ‘’Canelo’’ Alvarez aims to once again become Undisputed Super-Middleweight Champion by fighting IBF Champion William ‘’Indomable’’ Scull at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 3rd, during Mexican Cinco de Mayo Weekend, in his first foray outside the Continent of the Americas.
It`s the initial opening segment of a four- fight deal signed on February 7th, with the General Entertainment Authority, led by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, and it`s reputedly worth four hundred million dollars.
The Saudi Boxing Pioneer and innovator boldly stated: ‘’Don`t mess with the lion. Four fights for Canelo with Riyadh Season. The deal is done. A lion doesn`t sleep over the opinion of a sheep. Fear the lion, not the jungle.’’
A very nice golden nest egg for Canelo, who has already built and crafted considerable wealth, burgeoning and flourishing from a modest beginning, via utilizing his phenomenal talents and astute business acumen. As the saying goes: ‘’A bite from a lion is much better than a look of envy.’’ So much has he achieved, since being part of the fledgling class of 2008 with Ring Telmex!
Some would say that Canelo has a stubborn streak. He certainly does things his way, only when he`s good and ready and…not until. Yet, his strategy has served him very well indeed, during his career, propelling him to wealth and super-stardom. Boxing Smart!
Last year, he vacated the IBF portion of his title and the opportunity to fight William Scull then. Instead, he fought and defeated Edgar Belanga. But now that William has won the IBF crown via a UD victory over Vladimir Shishkin, Canelo has decided the time is right and ripe to fight him in order to neatly regain his Undisputed Statues. Undefeated William 23-0, 9 KO`s has other ideas and is raring to seize the opportunity of a lifetime.
We don`t yet know what will follow this one. Perhaps in September Canelo will fight Terence ‘’Bud’’ Crawford in a David Vs Goliath tussle. And then, might he rematch with Dmtry Bivol? Canelo has said: ‘’I`m the kind of person, who visualizes things before doing them. I just want to create my own history.’’ He has said he`ll retire around thirty-seven. If this is so, he has another three years to dot the I`s and cross the T`s plus the Rubicon, even mooring further upstream at Ostia.
Before any of this, he has to take on Berlin based William Scull. Canelo stresses that he NEVER underestimates any opponent. Nor does Eddy Reynoso, his long-time Coach and Manager, who cautions: ‘’Scull is very dangerous. He`s tall, strong and explosive. He goes all out in the first five rounds and gives it his all. He`s a slippery fighter with great defensive technique. He doesn`t know defeat, he`s a world champion and you have to give him respect.’’
William himself is counting on a down to earth approach, trying to humanize an icon, by stating: ‘’Canelo has two hands, he doesn`t have three or four…that`s when you have to get scared. He is a boxer who has a name, a Legend who has to be respected, but he has nothing else.’’
It won`t be that long before William discovers if this is true first hand. Facts are facts. Aged thirty-four, Canelo is two years older than him. But the differential between their experience, versatility and achievements forms a vast sandbar gulf.
Canelo`s debut was in 2005. His record is 62-2-2, 39 KO`s. His KO percentage is 62.9 percent. He has fought 508 rounds and won world championships in four weight divisions, namely: super-welter, middleweight, super-middle and light-heavyweight. William`s pro debut was in 2016. His record is 23-0, 9KO`s. That`s a KO record of 39.13 percent. He`s fought 144 rounds. He is the International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champion.
From what I`ve seen, William is an in your face, aggressive fighter. He likes landing a left to the body, then going upstairs with a big right and his right uppercut is particularly dangerous and effective although he sparingly uses it. He does tend to lower his hands, but brings them back up when in range.
He was easily winning his fight with Wladimir Shishkin in Falkensee, Germany but in the twelve his concentration lapsed and he got caught with a punch cluster, so he clinched for dear life. For some moments, he looked shaken, unsure, unsteady, under the cosh and pressured, although he came through some rather worrying moments. William stands five feet eleven and a half inches tall and has a seventy-six inches reach. While Canelo is five feet seven inches tall and his reach is almost six inches less. Yet…he`s more than accustomed to fighting taller and rangier fighters, often softening them up with searing liver shots.
It`s been six fights since Canelo stopped an opponent and five since William won via KO. Canelo has canvassed Ryder, Charlo, Munguia and Berlanga, but he hasn`t been able to make it stick. Now is the time to again become a finisher. While his opponent also desires to deliver a: ‘’Just William’’ punctuating point.
William Scull possesses considerable upper body strength. He`s durable, but will he prove dangerous? Unlikely that he`ll use reach, stick and run. Up to now, this just hasn`t been his style. Canelo who isn`t that fleet of foot, does effectively cut off the ring and will be glad if he doesn`t have to go looking for his Cuban opponent in a running race.
At the start of this Big Deal, Canelo really needs a spectacular Knockout Victory to earn his corn. As for William, he seeks to prove a point, via taking the high ground. Skulduggery isn`t an option!
Canelo fought elusive hard- hitting southpaw Erislandy Lara who was also Cuban, way back in 2014. It was am exacting, difficult and different test, but apart from nationality, he and William don`t have that much in common style-wise.
Canelo has financially hit the jackpot. Now he needs to pot-shot. While William seeks to achieve a long-shot, and in so doing spring one helluva werewolf shock.
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