Canelo Alvarez achieved his objective on Saturday night, though the performance itself lacked excitement.
Alvarez defended his WBA (Super), WBC, WBO, and The Ring super middleweight championships against IBF titleholder William Scull in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aiming to unify the division. This bout served as the crucial final step to pave the way for a highly anticipated showdown with Terence Crawford. Despite the fight being far from a thrilling spectacle, Alvarez successfully secured a clear decision victory, thus becoming the undisputed champion at 168 pounds.
Those hoping to witness a vintage, explosive performance from Canelo were left wanting. Scull focused on limiting Alvarez`s powerful offense, while Alvarez primarily relied on forward pressure and consistent body shots to accumulate rounds. Scull never managed to adapt his strategy, resulting in a rather uneventful fight that ended with Alvarez winning by scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 119-109.
However, the manner of the victory quickly became secondary. Immediately following the official decision, Turki Alalshikh brought out former undisputed light welterweight and welterweight king “Bud” Crawford, confirming that the long-rumored superfight between Alvarez and Crawford is now official. The massive crossover bout is scheduled for September 12th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Alalshikh subsequently announced that this highly anticipated card will mark the debut event for UFC CEO Dana White`s new boxing venture, TKO Boxing.
Crawford, who previously competed primarily at 147 and 154 pounds, will be moving up significantly in weight to challenge Alvarez at 168 pounds. Crawford`s last fight was in August, where he earned a unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov to claim the WBA light middleweight title.
