Canelo Alvarez Regains Super Middleweight Title
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Canelo Alvarez has reclaimed his status as the undisputed super middleweight champion after a unanimous decision victory over William Skull on Sunday.
As a four-belt world champion, Alvarez fought for the WBA, WBC, and WBO titles at 168 pounds. He lost his IBF title last July, declining to make enforced defenses against Skull, a title he had held since besting Caleb Plant in November 2021.
The judges scored the fight 115-113, 116-112, and 119-109 in favor of Alvarez, who, at 34, now boasts a record of 63 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws, with 39 knockouts. He remains undefeated over the last ten matches in the super middleweight division.
However, the bout with IBF champion Skull didn’t quite live up to expectations. The Cuban-born Skull, who had an unblemished record of 23 professional fights, exhibited a highly mobile style that seemed to frustrate Alvarez. The Mexican champion mentioned afterward that he finds it challenging to fight opponents who use that approach.
Following the announcement of the decision, hype began for a clash scheduled on September 12 between Alvarez and Terrence Crawford, where both fighters will meet in the ring.
This was Alvarez’s first fight outside of the US or Mexico, necessitating various adjustments, including adapting to the local time zone.
The fighters entered the ring as the national anthem played at 6:20 a.m. local time, which was 11:20 p.m. Saturday for US West Coast viewers. The opening round was relatively slow as both boxers gauged their distance; Skull threw more punches but struggled to connect. Alvarez, on the other hand, took a more calculated approach, landing solid body shots. He delivered about half the punches that Skull did overall (152 to 293), yet landed more cleanly (56 to 55) and focused on power shots to the body.
Alvarez remarked, “It’s okay, we won. We’re here with the title as champions. I’m a champion. I’m an expert, so that’s all, no excuses or anything.”
When asked about the upcoming showdown with Crawford, who will be moving up in weight, he stated, “I feel great. Crawford is one of the best people out there, and I enjoy sharing the ring with such fighters.” He seemed genuinely excited about the matchup.
Crawford was in attendance in Saudi Arabia and expressed, “I feel good. I feel blessed. Things happen for a reason. There’s a reason why I’m here. In September, I’m showing what greatness looks like in the world.”
