This report summarizes the main event boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and William Scull, which took place on Saturday night.
The bout between Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2) and William Scull (23-1) was held on May 3rd at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Serving as the main event, the fight was broadcast live on pay-per-view via DAZN.
Official Result: Canelo Alvarez defeated William Scull by Unanimous Decision (115-113, 116-112, 119-109)
Here`s a round-by-round account of the fight:
Round 1
Both fighters adopted an orthodox stance. Scull appeared larger in the ring and initiated with a sharp jab. Canelo, known for taking a few rounds to assess opponents, began by cutting off the ring, landing a right hand over Scull`s guard. Scull moved laterally while Canelo continued to close the distance. Scull attempted his own right but fell short. Canelo advanced easily, focusing on position rather than punching, effectively trapping Scull. Scull responded with occasional jabs while circling. The round saw minimal action.
Score: 10-10
Round 2
Due to the low offensive output, the first round was scored even. Canelo resumed his forward pressure, forcing Scull towards the ropes before he shifted away. Scull seemed to await counter opportunities, but Canelo offered few. Canelo connected with a good right hook to the body, following with a blocked left upstairs. Another body shot and a looping right landed for Canelo, visibly affecting Scull who had to retreat. Canelo patiently walked Scull down. Scull`s jabs weren`t landing consistently, making his defensive strategy challenging. Canelo finished the round with a body combination at the bell.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 19-18 Canelo.
Round 3
Canelo continued his advance. Scull remained in constant motion and absorbed a body shot. Scull`s offense remained limited; his jabs weren`t connecting, and he wasn`t committing to his right hand. A looping right from Scull landed despite Canelo rolling with it – a necessary moment of offense for Scull. Canelo landed another body shot. Scull countered with his own looping right hook. Staying more in the center momentarily helped Scull land another right. Scull`s jab activity increased towards the end as Canelo took a brief respite.
Score: 10-9 Scull. Cumulative: 28-28.
Round 4
Canelo pressed forward, backing Scull to the ropes and landing a pair of body shots. Targeting the ribs seemed to be Canelo`s primary goal. He repeated this when Scull reached the ropes again. Scull wasn`t able to deter Canelo`s advance or outwork him. They exchanged right hands. Scull increased his punch volume, but little landed. Canelo`s activity remained low, making for a slow-paced round.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 38-37 Canelo.
Round 5
Scull landed a clean uppercut through Canelo`s guard, showing growing confidence. Canelo appeared unfazed but remained largely inactive for extended periods, making it difficult to win rounds based purely on presence. Punch statistics were notably low: Canelo had landed just 12 of 38 punches, while Scull had landed 15 out of over 100. Canelo swung and missed with a combination. Scull continued to move away. Canelo landed a body shot, followed by Scull landing his own. Canelo connected with a right hand.
Score: 10-10. Cumulative: 48-47 Canelo.
Round 6
Scull started the round strongly with a shifting right hand that landed clean – arguably his best punch of the fight. However, he failed to follow up, and Canelo continued to walk him down. An exchange of body shots occurred. Canelo opened up with more body punches, met by Scull`s return fire to the body. The fight`s pace remained frustratingly slow, with Canelo throwing very infrequently and Scull relying on jabs that were often parried.
Score: 10-9 Scull. Cumulative: 57-57.
Round 7
The pattern persisted: Canelo advanced, Scull circled. Canelo`s punch count remained low (25 total punches landed through 6 rounds). Despite the commentary suggesting Canelo was dominating, the action in the ring appeared underwhelming, characterized by continuous marching and movement.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 67-66 Canelo.
Round 8
The familiar rhythm continued: Canelo pressed forward, occasionally landing a body shot, while Scull threw jabs that were parried. Both fighters briefly exchanged punches when Scull was against the ropes. Canelo landed to the body, and Scull`s counter was blocked. Scull continued to move, and the commentary`s focus remained heavily critical of his perceived lack of offense, contributing to a dull viewing experience.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 77-75 Canelo.
Round 9
The referee briefly paused the action to encourage both fighters to engage, a message the commentary seemed to direct primarily at Scull, despite Canelo`s low punch output (around 10 punches per round). A low blow from Canelo caused another pause. The fight lacked significant developments since the third round. The crowd showed signs of restlessness. Scull missed a right hand and absorbed another body shot while moving.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 87-84 Canelo.
Round 10
With little action to describe, the commentary shifted focus. Scull maintained his circling movement, while Canelo cut off the ring, landing sporadic body shots. Scull managed to land a good right hand as Canelo came in, but it was quickly downplayed by the commentators. The commentary continued to overtly criticize Scull`s performance.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 97-93 Canelo.
Round 11
Canelo received a warning from the referee to fight more, to which he responded by indicating the referee should address Scull. Neither fighter was exhibiting high activity. Daniel Jacobs, brought into the commentary, offered a contrasting view, stating Canelo was winning narrowly and could certainly do more – a perspective seemingly at odds with the main commentary team, who continued to defend Canelo while criticizing Scull. The round saw more body shots from Canelo as Scull moved. Canelo landed a decent left hand as Scull charged, leading to further commentary defending Canelo and criticizing Scull.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 107-102 Canelo.
Round 12
Entering the final round, Canelo appeared set to win. Scull`s movement decreased slightly, and he took another body shot. He then countered Canelo as Canelo finally increased his offensive output. The crowd became more engaged as both fighters exchanged power shots. Canelo charged in with a body combination. The commentary team discussed the possibility of point deductions for inactivity, while criticizing Scull despite him having thrown significantly more punches throughout the fight.
Score: 10-9 Canelo. Cumulative: 117-111 Canelo.
Canelo Alvarez secured the win by unanimous decision. The fight, characterized by low activity and controversial commentary, concluded with Canelo`s hand raised.
