By Bloody Media | May 2025
The Kingdom Arena in Riyadh is once again set to host boxing royalty. On Sunday, May 4th, 2025, Mexico’s pound-for-pound legend Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will defend his undisputed super middleweight crown against unbeaten Cuban contender William “El Indomable” Scull. With all four major world titles — WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO — and the Ring Magazine belt on the line, this is more than just another title defence. This is a legacy checkpoint.
Canelo: A Champion with Nothing Left to Prove – Except Everything
Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) walks into the Kingdom Arena carrying the weight of expectation and the armour of experience. At 33, he’s a generational fighter whose résumé glows with wins over Gennadiy Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant.
But the whispers have started. Is the great man on the decline? Is he still that guy?
Canelo’s last few performances have left room for sceptics to chatter. A measured win over Jermell Charlo in 2023, a routine decision against John Ryder, and question marks over his movement have prompted one question: how much does the fire still burn?
Scull: The Undefeated Unknown with a Giant Opportunity
Enter William Scull (22-0, 9 KOs), a name not yet familiar to the casual fan, but a fighter that hardcores are starting to take seriously. Tall at nearly 6 feet and an orthodox technician with Cuban pedigree, Scull is here to shock the sport.
He’s earned his IBF mandatory shot the hard way — grinding through the shadows of boxing’s super middleweight scene. While he lacks Canelo’s marquee opponents, Scull brings height, freshness, and nothing to lose. And that’s dangerous.
Canelo will be giving up over 4 inches in height and potentially reach — factors that could trouble him if Scull’s jab and movement are sharp enough. But let’s not forget: Canelo’s made a career of dismantling bigger men.
Why This Fight Matters
While Canelo could have chased another payday against the Benavidez or Bivol crowd, taking on a dangerous and unknown quantity like Scull proves he’s still a fighting champion. There are no warm-up bouts at this level — especially not when all the belts are on the line.
For Scull, this is the moment. The spotlight. The shot at immortality. A win here launches him from obscurity to superstardom. It’s a modern-day Rocky tale, only this time with Cuban footwork and a Mexican thunderstorm coming his way.
Prediction: Does Scull Have the Tools?
Scull will have to fight the perfect fight — think Mayweather footwork, with a Golovkin chin, and a Plant-style jab — just to keep Canelo off rhythm. It’s a tall task.
We expect Scull to have success early, particularly with his length and lateral movement. But Canelo is a puzzle solver. By the mid-rounds, we predict the Mexican champion will close the distance, hammer the body, and break down the Cuban late.
Full Fight Details
🗓 Date: Sunday, 4 May 2025
🕐 Time: 1:00 AM BST / 00:00 GMT
📍 Venue: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
📺 Watch on: (To be confirmed — check BloodyMedia.com for updates)
Fight Week Schedule & Related Bouts
🔗 Don't miss the mega card also featuring:
Martin Bakole vs. Efe Ajagba (Heavyweight war)
Badou Jack vs. Noel Mikaelian (Cruiserweight fire)
Jaime Munguia vs. Bruno Surace
Boxing's global takeover continues in Riyadh.
Stay plugged into Bloody Media for fight week updates, exclusive breakdowns, and live coverage from Saudi Arabia. This isn’t just boxing coverage — this is how boxing media should be done.
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