The Mexican regains the IBF belt from Cuban William Scull in Saudi Arabia.
Mexican boxing star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is once again the sole professional super middleweight world champion. The 34-year-old WBA, WBC, and WBO titleholder regained the IBF belt he lost last fall in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh with a unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated IBF champion William Scull (Cuba).
After the first fight of his almost 20-year professional career outside North America, Alvarez confirmed his next title defense for September 12 in Las Vegas against American Terence Crawford. The fight in Riyadh marked the continuation of Alvarez’s now traditional title fights around the Mexican national holiday Cinco de Mayo (May 5), with 63 wins now under his belt after 67 professional fights.
In 2023, Alvarez became the first professional world champion to successfully defend all four world championship belts three times. Last year, however, the IBF stripped him of his title because Alvarez had chosen to fight US professional Edgar Berlanga instead of the mandatory title fight against Scull.
