Canelo Álvarez reclaims undisputed status against William Scull

Cinco de Mayo weekend saw Saul “Canelo” Álvarez reassert his dominance at super‑middleweight.  On 4 May in Las Vegas he faced Panama’s William Scull, the IBF champion who had built a 22‑0 record.  Scull started energetically, but Álvarez’s trademark body attack gradually wore him down.  After 12 rounds the Mexican star prevailed by scores of 115‑113, 116‑112 and 119‑109.  The win reunited the IBF belt with the WBA, WBC and WBO titles he already held, restoring his undisputed status.

Al Jazeera’s account emphasized that Scull could not cope with Álvarez’s thudding hooks and uppercuts to the body.  Álvarez improved to 63‑2‑2 and afterward announced plans to face Terence Crawford in September.  The bout served as a statement after some critics questioned whether Álvarez was slowing down.  He showed patience, economic punching and defensive acuity, neutralizing Scull’s reach advantage and making him miss.  For Scull the fight represented a leap in class; he displayed courage but rarely threatened the champion.  The result set up one of the year’s most anticipated match‑ups and reaffirmed Álvarez as the division’s top man.