Canelo Grinds Out Uninspiring Win Over Elusive William Scull in Saudi Arabia; Canelo-Crawford Up Next
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 04 May 2025
What was supposed to be a showcase for Canelo Álvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) turned into a frustrating chess match as the Mexican superstar labored to a unanimous decision win over Cuba’s William Scull (23-1, 9 KOs) in a snooze-inducing affair early Sunday morning at Kingdom Arena.
The judges scored the bout 119-109 (Danrex Tapdasan), 116-112 (Ron McNair), and 115-113 (Pablo Gonzalez)—all in favor of Canelo, who retained his undisputed super middleweight crown for the second time. But the real story was Scull’s relentless movement, which turned the fight into a glorified game of tag rather than a high-stakes championship bout.
From the opening bell, Scull refused to engage, opting instead for a stick-and-move strategy that left Canelo swinging at air. The Cuban circled endlessly, flicking occasional jabs while backpedaling at the first sign of pressure.
Round after round, the pattern repeated: Canelo stalked, Scull sprinted. The Mexican’s frustration grew as he struggled to cut off the ring, while Scull’s hit-and-not-get-hit approach drew scattered boos from the Riyadh crowd.
Canelo gets solid gold Ring Belt after his win over Scull.
By the ninth round, referee Kieran McCann had seen enough, briefly halting the action to demand more engagement—particularly from Scull. The Cuban obliged for all of 10 seconds, standing his ground just long enough to land a quick combo before resuming his marathon session.
The final round saw Canelo desperately charging forward, but Scull’s elusiveness held firm, leaving the champion to settle for a workmanlike victory rather than the statement win he desired.
The punch stats were surprisingly close, with Canelo landing 56 total punches to Scull’s 55. However, the body attack told the real story—Canelo’s 40 body shots dwarfed Scull’s meager 6, proving the difference in a fight devoid of fireworks.
Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford pose with Saudi's Turki Alalshik to green light their September 12 megafight at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The only bright spot? This fight is over. With the Scull hurdle cleared, the path is now clear for the September 12 superfight between Canelo and Terence "Bud" Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas—a clash that promises real action on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh wasted no time, immediately staging a face-off between Canelo and Crawford to ignite hype for what could be the biggest boxing event of the decade.
Fans and pundits will quickly erase the memory of this forgettable Canelo-Scull bout. But one thing is certain: September 12 can’t come soon enough.
Can Canelo handle Crawford’s precision and power? Or will "Bud" cement his legacy as multi-division king?
One thing’s for sure—it won’t be another running match.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Petecio, Bautista, 4 others see action in SEAG on Dec. 10
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 09 Dec 2025TRAINING CAMP NOTES: Super Welterweight Yoenis Tellez Ready for Redemption Bout vs. Kendo Castaneda on December 13
Tue, 09 Dec 2025Hot prospect Marco Romero Prepared to close 2025 in style
Tue, 09 Dec 2025PH favored in SEA Games triathlon
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 09 Dec 2025Tamayo settles to a draw in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 08 Dec 2025Apolinar fails in WBO Asia Pacific title bid
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 08 Dec 2025Biendima loses by UD
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 08 Dec 2025OLYMPIC BOXING 6: 1932 OLYMPICS AT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
By Maloney L. Samaco, Mon, 08 Dec 2025MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS AS MASOUD BEATS McGRAIL
Sun, 07 Dec 2025Pitbull Cruz and Lamont Roach Battle to Controversial Majority Draw in High-Intensity Title Clash
Sun, 07 Dec 2025Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts and Ju-jitsu in Thailand SEA Games
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 06 Dec 2025Mapua, IIEE Singapore and IM Concio wins the 7th IIEE ANC Cup co-awarded by GM Torre
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 06 Dec 2025Pontinos to see action in PH Jetski in SEA Games
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 06 Dec 2025Pitbull vs. Roach Jr & Co-Headliner Foster vs. Fulton Make for Solid PPV
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 06 Dec 2025Weights from Philadelphia
Sat, 06 Dec 2025