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:
Gladiator Management Fighters In Action This Fall
Thu, 06 Nov 2025NBA Daily: Doncic Shines as Lakers Topple Wembanyama and the Spurs 118-116
By Reylan Loberternos, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Jellie Ann Magro wins 6 straight, Quezon City down Isabela in PCAP
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Carlos De Leon Castro Stays Perfect with Explosive TKO Win in Orlando on DAZN
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Donaire in historic bid
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 06 Nov 2025BROADCAST DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR CMH2: BADOU JACK VS. NOEL MIKAELIAN
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Top prospect Marco Romero A victim of dramatic changes in Today’s professional boxing world
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Closing of registration on Nov. 15 for SDSPPO TWG-PAGPTD Run in Tandag
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai & Tenshin Nasukawa-Takuma Inoue Blockbuster Cards to Stream LIVE on Top Rank Classics FAST Channel
Thu, 06 Nov 2025JUSTIN LACEY-PIERCE OUTLASTS COURTNEY PENNINGTON IN DETROIT
Wed, 05 Nov 2025The José Sulaimán Boxers’ Fund continues supporting fighters worldwide
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 05 Nov 2025NBA Daily: Sans Injured Young, Hawks Still Dominate Magic 127-112
By Reylan Loberternos, Wed, 05 Nov 2025Kamatyas FIDE Rapid chess on Nov 8
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 05 Nov 2025WBC lifts the suspension imposed on Ryan Garcia
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 05 Nov 2025Siargao pug bags silver in Batang Pinoy
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 05 Nov 2025