Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez has once again become the undisputed super middleweight champion after defeating William Scull by unanimous decision on Sunday, 4 May. The Mexican superstar successfully unified the IBF title with his existing WBA (Super), WBC, and WBO belts, handing Scull the first defeat of his professional career.

Despite boasting a height and reach advantage, Cuba’s Scull was unable to contend with Álvarez’s calculated pressure and punishing body shots. The judges scored the bout 115–113, 116–112, and 119–109 in favour of Álvarez.

“For me, it was a boring fight,” Álvarez remarked in his post-fight interview. “[Scull] wasn’t trying to win, just to survive. I hate these kinds of fights.”

Álvarez had previously been stripped of the IBF title after opting to fight Edgar Berlanga instead of facing the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger, Scull. With this victory, he regains the 168-pound crown, becoming undisputed in the division for a second time.

From the early rounds, Álvarez took control, delivering powerful body shots in the second and fourth that visibly unbalanced Scull. Although the Cuban showed brief flashes of resilience—breaking Álvarez’s guard with an uppercut in the fifth and landing a counter right in the sixth—the Mexican remained dominant throughout.

“Don’t let this guy get bigger and more confident,” Álvarez’s corner warned after the sixth round, prompting a renewed offensive.

Álvarez intensified his assault with precise body combinations in the seventh and a lead left hook in the eighth. In total, he landed 40 body shots compared to Scull’s six, securing the 63rd win of his professional career.

The bout marked Álvarez’s first fight outside the United States and Mexico. Following his win, the 34-year-old confirmed his intention to face unbeaten American Terence Crawford in September.

“Crawford is one of the best out there. I like sharing the ring with that kind of fighter – it’s my pleasure,” Álvarez said.

Crawford, who unified the welterweight division with a knockout of Errol Spence Jr. in 2023, appeared in the ring post-fight and issued a confident statement: “In September, I’ll show the world what greatness looks like.”