Months after suffering his first professional defeat, William Scull still refuses to accept it. The Cuban-born, Germany-based super middleweight insists he deserved the nod against Canelo Alvarez on May 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia a bout that saw him surrender his IBF title on the scorecards.
The judges Pablo Gonzalez, Ron McNair, and Danrex Tapdasan all scored in Alvarez’s favor, giving the Mexican superstar a unanimous decision. Scull (23-1, 9 KOs) remains unconvinced.
Scull’s Case
“It’s sad, isn’t it?” Scull told Fight Hub TV. “Losing a fight without taking a hit. He never landed a punch on my face.”
Scull’s defensive-minded strategy had him constantly on the move, circling and retreating, while flicking jabs and occasional counters. Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) struggled to cut off the ring and force meaningful exchanges.
The numbers back the tedium: according to CompuBox, both fighters combined to throw just 445 punches over 12 rounds the lowest total ever recorded in a full-length fight since punch stats began.
Fans Left Unimpressed
While Scull claims victory, fans and analysts alike were less than thrilled. Many labeled the fight a snoozer, with Scull’s evasive tactics frustrating Alvarez but failing to produce sustained offense.
“I could’ve pushed more in the last two rounds, that’s true,” Scull admitted. “But he never hit me thanks to my footwork. I feel like I was the winner that night.”
Scull Needs To Regroup
William Scull is out of his mind if he truly believes he beat Canelo Alvarez in Riyadh. Defense and movement are part of boxing, but you don’t win world titles by avoiding exchanges and throwing next to nothing. You cannot outpoint the champion if you refuse to engage.
Scull had the chance to derail Alvarez and halt the buildup to the Canelo vs. Crawford super fight. Instead, he squandered it. The Cuban contender showed he can make elite fighters miss, but until he proves he can make them pay.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
