Canelo Alvarez added another super middleweight title belt to his collection after winning in Saudi Arabia by unanimous decision. Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) secured the victory over William Scull after 12 rounds, aiming for his first knockout since 2021, but that will have to wait. The fight was an uninspiring affair that saw Scull, who entered as IBF champion, try to use lateral movement but never engaged offensively while Alvarez tracked him down round after round to pick off rounds.
After 12 rounds of action in Saudi Arabia, there was little debate who won the undisputed super middleweight championship fight between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and William Scull. The action was dull, but it was clear Alvarez won the fight and the three ringside judges agreed, giving Alvarez a unanimous decision victory. Despite Alvarez doing the better work, he barely edged out two official scorecards to take the unanimous decision win by scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 119-109.
Alvarez was a -3000 favorite at DraftKings, meaning it would have taken a $3,000 wager to turn a mere $100 profit if he brought home the victory. After the fight, Turki Alalshikh asked Terence Crawford to enter the ring before presenting a new belt to Alvarez and introducing a new belt he said was "100% gold" ahead of a planned September fight between Alvarez and Crawford. The two men then came face to face before a Sept. 12 date was announced for their planned bout at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
"I hope September comes another kind of fight," Alvarez said. "For me, it was a boring fight. I hate those kind of fighters." The plan now turns to the planned fight between Alvarez, now the two-time undisputed super middleweight champion, and Crawford, a former undisputed welterweight champion. That fight will be one of the biggest of 2025 or 2026, whenever the fight comes together.
In the co-main event, Badou Jack defended his WBC cruiserweight title with a majority decision victory over Noel Mikaelian. Jack (29-3-3, 17 KOs) was fighting for the first time in two years, having not defended the title since February 2023. The judges scored the fight 114-114, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Jack.
Jaime Munguia also had a successful night, defeating Bruno Surace by unanimous decision with scores of 116-112, 117-111, and 117-111. This victory was particularly significant for Munguia as it marked a comeback after losing to Surace in December 2024 by a sixth-round knockout. The 28-year-old focused on defensive discipline and offensive strategy, landing 105 punches, including 45 to the body, to sweep the scorecards.
Meanwhile, the heavyweight clash between Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba ended in a majority draw. Bakole, who weighed more than 280 pounds for a fight last summer against Jared Anderson, was unable to secure a decisive victory, with two judges calling it five rounds apiece, while one judge saw it for Ajagba, six rounds to four.
In the opening bout, Saudi-born lightweight Mohammed Alakel defeated Alexander Morales by referee's decision (60-54). Alakel, who is just shy of his 21st birthday, is making waves in the boxing world with his fundamental skills and solid performance, marking his fourth straight victory as a pro.
The full card results from the night were as follows:
- Canelo Alvarez def. William Scull by unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 119-109)
- Badou Jack def. Noel Mikaelian by majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 115-113)
- Jaime Munguia def. Bruno Surace by unanimous decision (116-112, 117-111, 117-111)
- Martin Bakole vs. Efe Ajagba ends in a majority draw (95-95, 94-96, 95-95)
- Richard Riakporhe def. Kevin Nicolas Espindola by TKO, 3:00, Round 4
- Brayan Leon def. Aaron Guerrero by referee's decision (60-54)
- Marco Verde def. Michel Polina by TKO, 1:34, Round 1
- Mohammed Alakel def. Alexander Morales by referee's decision (60-54)
As Alvarez looks ahead to his highly anticipated matchup with Crawford, the boxing world holds its breath, hoping for a more electrifying showdown than the one witnessed in Saudi Arabia. With both fighters bringing their unique styles and experience to the ring, fans are eager to see who will emerge victorious in what promises to be a clash of titans.
