Saul Alvarez-William Scull: Stats and Stakes
Canelo tries to 'regain' something he never really lost
Saul Alvarez’s claim to the super middleweight crown doesn’t really have any dispute.
He’s the recognized leader of the class, the lineal king, and until his most recent outing against Edgar Berlanga he held every recognized title in the division. Had he fought William Scull as a mandatory last year, perhaps there is no lapse.
Alvarez had more lucrative options.
At this point, there isn’t much at 168 pounds he hasn’t done so Scull gets his number called and Alvarez has a chance to regain a belt he never lost in the ring. It’s a case where how ‘undisputed’ is defined is overcooked when it’s based on belts alone.
The reality in this fight when cutting through the red tape is this:
Alvarez is the champion.
Scull is the challenger.
For Scull, Saturday’s clash with Alvarez (DAZN, 7 PM EST) is the chance of a lifetime. The defector from Cuba shows some of the signs of a deep amateur background in the country but is taking sizable leap in competition. Alvarez is one of the most decorated fighters of the 21st century and still among the best in the world in any weight class.
Is an upset possible?
Let’s get into it.
Saul Alvarez
Age: 34
Titles: Ring/WBC/WBA Super Middleweight (2020-Present, 8 Defenses); WBO Super Middleweight (2021-Present, 6 Defenses); Lineal/TBRB Super Middleweight (2021-Present, 5 Defenses)
Previous Titles: WBC Super Welterweight (2011-13, 6 Defenses); Ring Jr. Middleweight (2013); WBC Middleweight (2015-16, 1 Defense); TBRB Middleweight (2015-17); WBO Jr. Middleweight (2016-17); Ring World Middleweight (2015-18, 2 Defenses); IBF Middleweight (2019); Lineal World Middleweight (2015-20, 4 Defenses); TBRB/Ring/WBC/WBA Middleweight (2018-Present, 1 Defense); IBF Super Middleweight (2021-24, 4 Defenses)
Height: 5’8
Weight: 167 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Record: 62-2-2, 39 KO
Record in Major Title Fights: 22-2-1, 10 KO (23-2-1, 11 KO including WBA sub-title fights)
Last Five Opponents: 174-7-2 (.951)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Ryan Rhodes TKO12; Josesito Lopez TKO5; Austin Trout UD12; Floyd Mayweather Jr. L12; Erislandy Lara SD12; Miguel Cotto UD12; Amir Khan KO6; Liam Smith KO9; Gennadiy Golovkin D12, MD12, UD12; Rocky Fielding TKO3; Daniel Jacobs UD12; Sergey Kovalev KO11; Callum Smith UD12; Billy Joe Saunders RTD8; Caleb Plant TKO11; Dmitry Bivol L12; John Ryder UD12; Jermell Charlo UD12; Jaime Munguia UD12; Edgar Berlanga UD12
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Miguel Vazquez SD4, UD10; Carlos Baldomir KO6; Lovemore N’Dou UD12; Kermit Cintron TKO5; Shane Mosley UD12; Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. UD12
Vs.
William Scull
Age: 32
Titles: IBF Super Middleweight (2024-Present, 1 Defense)
Previous Titles: None
Height: 5’11 ½
Weight: 166 lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Matanzas, Cuba
Record: 23-0, 9 KO
Press Rankings: #4 (TBRB), #5 (Ring), #9 (ESPN)
Record in Major Title Fights: 1-0
Last Five Opponents: 96-44-6 (.678)
Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Vladimir Shishkin UD12
Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: None
The Pick: Scull has some assets to work with in this fight. He’s got quick hands, good balance, and can be a smart counter puncher. What works against him is he isn’t a particularly active fighter. In his best win, against Shishkin, he never threw more than forty punches in a round. Alvarez has never been a wildly active puncher either but the power edge in the fight could make a difference.
Alvarez’s punches just appear to do more damage than Scull’s.
That will matter in a fight that could look in spots a lot like Alvarez’s fight with Erislandy Lara with a lot of both guys looking for openings. The evidence to date doesn’t suggest Scull is quite as good as his countryman and that will mean more chances for Alvarez. The body attack, experience, and more versatile game of Alvarez marks him a prohibitive favorite in this fight.
He’ll show why on Saturday.
The pick is Alvarez by decision.
Rold Picks 2025: 12-11