Canelo Alvarez Ordered to Negotiate Title Defense Against IBF Mandatory Challenger William Scull
Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has been ordered by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) to begin negotiations for a title defense against their No. 1 rated contender, William Scull (22-0, 9 KOs). Scull, a Cuban boxer residing in Germany, has held the IBF’s top contender position for two years.
Scull, who turned professional in 2016 in Argentina and has fought out of Germany since 2019, recently featured on the undercard of Canelo’s successful title defense against compatriot Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Scull secured a comfortable, unanimous decision victory over American fighter Sean Hemphill (16-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-round bout, dropping his opponent in the fifth round.
“the IBF has ordered the fight between Canelo and William Scull. Both teams have four weeks to reach an agreement, or it will go to purse bid.”
The IBF’s decision to enforce its mandatory obligations may disappoint boxing fans who have been eagerly anticipating a showdown between Canelo and fellow Mexican rival David Benavidez. Benavidez has opted to move up to light heavyweight after Canelo indicated that a fight would require an offer between “$150-200 Million.” The undisputed champion has yet to defend his title against an IBF-mandated opponent, with the last such challenger being Caleb Traux, who faced then-titleholder Caleb Plant in 2021.
Canelo’s most recent mandatory obligation was in May 2023, when he faced the WBO’s challenger John Ryder in a homecoming clash in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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