Canelo Alvarez is officially set to face William Scull in an undisputed super middleweight showdown on May 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Canelo currently holds The Ring, WBO, WBA and WBC titles at 168, while Scull boasts the IBF belt. This means all five major titles will be on the line, reestablishing full undisputed status. If Canelo prevails, he’ll move on to the much-anticipated September 13 matchup against fellow four-division champion Terence Crawford in Las Vegas. Crawford, who’s eyeing a third undisputed reign, would jump up two weight classes for that dream fight – potentially making it the biggest event of the year at Allegiant Stadium.
Watch Canelo vs. Berlanga highlights: Watch
Scull, The Ring’s No. 5 super middleweight, claimed the IBF title by outpointing Vladimir Shishkin last October in Germany. The Cuban export had been preparing for a call-up, telling The Ring that “I am the other world champion at 168 pounds. There is no other opponent than William Scull.” Now he finally gets the chance to unify the division.
For Canelo, this is the first defense of his new four-fight deal with Riyadh Season. He was forced to relinquish the IBF belt last year in a sanctioning dispute, but now has the opportunity to recapture it and maintain his position as boxing’s main attraction. Whether he can handle Scull’s unbeaten record and keep the path clear for a Crawford super-fight remains the question.
Headlining the co-feature, Jaime Munguia will try to avenge a shocking upset when he faces Bruno Surace in a rematch. Their first meeting in December saw Surace, then a massive underdog, score a single-punch knockout over Munguia, a result that took the boxing world by surprise and was later recognized by The Ring as Upset of the Year.
Watch Munguia vs. Surace highlights: Watch
A heavyweight clash billed as a potential shootout sees Martin Bakole collide with Efe Ajagba. Bakole, who stepped in on just two days’ notice last month and was stopped by former world champion Joseph Parker in two rounds, looks to reestablish his footing in the division. Ajagba, meanwhile, has been out of the ring since his hard-earned split decision over Guido Vianello in April 2024 and will aim to deliver a more decisive performance in his return.
Watch Bakole vs. Parker highlights: Watch
Beyond these marquee matchups, two rising talents look to make waves on the card. Mexican Olympian Marco Verde - a gold medalist at the 2023 Pan American Games and silver medalist at the 2024 Tokyo Olympics - makes his pro debut against Michel Polina at welterweight. Meanwhile, Brayan Leon (6-0, 6 KOs) of Cuba, who trains under Eddy Reynoso, steps up against Aaron Guerrero (11-3-1, 7 KOs) in a light heavyweight contest. Guerrero, known for his durability, has never been stopped, setting the stage for a compelling clash between an unbeaten prospect and a sturdier gatekeeper.
Fight card:
▪️Saul Alvarez vs. William Scull, 12 rounds, for the IBF, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles
▪️Jaime Munguia vs. Bruno Surace, super middleweight
▪️Martin Bakole vs. Efe Ajagba, heavyweight
▪️Badou Jack vs. Norair Mikaelian, 12 rounds, cruiserweight
▪️Marco Verde vs. Michel Galvan Polina, middleweight
▪️Brayan Leon vs. Aaron Rocha Guerrero, light heavyweight
