Boxing fans, prepare for a seismic shift in the super-middleweight division! Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed champion, is on the verge of relinquishing his International Boxing Federation (IBF) title, setting the stage for an intriguing new chapter in the sport.
According to multiple sources within the boxing community, Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has decided to forgo the IBF’s June 6 purse bid for a mandatory title defense against the little-known Cuban challenger, William Scull (22-0, 9 KOs). This decision by the sport’s most popular fighter will separate him from one of his coveted 168-pound belts.
The IBF, known for its staunch enforcement of mandatory positions, is confident that Alvarez, 33, must now face their challenger. The Mexican superstar has successfully defended his undisputed status a record four times, most recently against compatriot Munguia on May 4 in Las Vegas.
“While the WBA has its own mandatory contender, Edgar Berlanga, lined up, the IBF president, Daryl Peoples, is poised to assert his organization’s claim.”
Alvarez’s manager and trainer, Eddy Reynoso, has not yet responded to inquiries from BoxingScene regarding the matter.
By relinquishing the IBF title, Alvarez’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight champion is now on the brink of ending. This turn of events sets the stage for a showdown between the IBF’s No. 2 contender, Russia’s Vladimir Shishkin (16-0, 10 KOs), and the little-known Scull.
Shishkin’s promoter, Dmitriy Salita, is eager to secure the fight, with a preference for it to be streamed by DAZN, Alvarez’s broadcast partner. Salita even hinted at the possibility of the Scull-Shishkin bout being on the same card as a potential Alvarez-Berlanga clash, scheduled for September 14.
However, Scull’s promoter, Agon Sports, has its sights set on staging the title fight in Germany, where Scull has fought eight consecutive times before his Las Vegas appearance.
As the boxing world awaits the outcome of these developments, one thing is certain: Canelo Alvarez’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight champion is on the verge of a significant change, setting the stage for a new champion to emerge.
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