Saul “Canelo” Alvarez confirmed his status as one of the best boxers of all time by unifying the super middleweight world titles with a devastating display in a unanimous points win over previously unbeaten IBF champion William Scull in Riyadh in the early hours of Sunday morning.
On a fight weekend traditionally associated with Cinco de Mayo, Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) rumbled with his customary array of combinations to the body and pressure to outpoint the taller, quicker Cuban, who entered with a record of 23-0. Despite Scull’s efforts to employ footwork and range remain out of harm’s way, Canelo continued to cut the ring, landing snappy hooks all the way through the 12 rounds.
“He moved more than I even imagined. But it’s OK, we win,” Alvarez said after the fight, his first as a professional outside of North America.
One of the most anticipated fights of the year, which took place in North America’s prime time slot, it is the perfect set-up for Canelo who will now head for a blockbuster showdown with Terence Crawford on September 12 in Las Vegas, with Crawford entering the ring after the fight to confirm the fight was next on his.
Also on the card, Jaime Munguia won a unanimous decision over Bruno Surace in their rematch. Alvarez’s win is all under the aegis of Riyadh Season, a collection of events aimed at transforming the Saudi capital into a global sports hub.
