In the presence of HE Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Boxing Federation, Mexican Canelo Alvarez was crowned the undisputed super middleweight world champion under the umbrella of Riyadh Season, after defeating Cuban opponent William Scull by unanimous decision, thus obtaining the titles of the World Boxing Organization (WBO), the International Boxing Federation (IBF – previously held by Scull), the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Council (WBC), in addition to The Ring magazine belt.
The first round began with noticeable caution from both parties, as the boxers tested each other without clear offensive moves. In the second round, Mexican Canelo Alvarez began to impose his style through calculated offensive pressure, met with cautious evasion from Cuban Scull.
In the third round, Scull attempted to take the initiative, but the rest of the round remained cautious, allowing Alvarez to regain control and continue the pressure without letting his opponent gain any advantage.
The rounds continued at a steady pace, with clear superiority for Alvarez, who maintained an organized offensive style, benefiting from directions to finish the bout early. Despite Scull’s constant movement along the ropes, he failed to land effective punches, while Alvarez surprised him with a powerful series targeting the body and head.
As the rounds progressed, it seemed Scull was unaware he was losing points gradually. Although he succeeded in landing some upper punches, they were not enough to make a difference. With decreased activity at times, Scull resorted to individual attempts without a clear plan, facing an opponent who continued pressing with consistency and efficiency.
In the penultimate round, the bout’s pace remained unchanged, with Scull continuing to move lightly around the ring, relying on defense and evasion, while Canelo Alvarez maintained pressure in an attempt to decide the fight. While Scull was limited to sporadic, ineffective attempts, Alvarez succeeded in scoring important points through focused powerful blows to his opponent’s body.
As for the final round, it was extremely exciting, with Canelo Alvarez launching a fierce attack on Scull, delivering a series of accurate punches that landed multiple times, clearly aiming for a knockout. Nevertheless, Scull remained alert and defensive until the final moment, and the bout was ultimately decided by the judges’ scorecards, who deservedly awarded the win to Alvarez.
After the match ended, HE Turki Alalshikh surprised the audience with a much-anticipated announcement, revealing a new bout between Alvarez and famous American boxer Terence Crawford. Crawford was called into the ring, where he stood face to face with his upcoming opponent, marking the beginning of a new phase of challenge, in preparation for the major fight that will take place on September 12 in Las Vegas, in one of the most anticipated boxing matchups, which Alalshikh described as the Fight of the Century.
Additionally, the accompanying bouts featured a collection of thrilling matchups, starting with a standout performance by Saudi boxer Mohammed Al Oqel in the super featherweight division, who faced Mexican Alexander Morales and won by unanimous decision after a composed performance and clear technical dominance, confirming his place as a rising contender on the international scene.
In the light heavyweight division, Cuban Bryan Leon outperformed Mexican Aaron Rocha Guerrero in a six-round match, winning by points after imposing his style and technical superiority from start to finish.
The evening continued with a middleweight bout between Mexican Marco Verde and his compatriot Michel Galvan Polina, where Verde quickly finished the match with a technical knockout in the first round after an intense early attack that confused his opponent.
In the heavyweight division, British boxer Richard Riakporhe secured a well-deserved win over Argentinian Kevin Nicolas Espindola, after the latter withdrew in the fourth round, awarding the match to Riakporhe by opponent withdrawal.
The highlight of the heavyweight division was the match between Congolese Martin Bakole and Nigerian Efe Ajagba, which was characterized by balance and competitiveness and ended in a majority draw, leaving the decision unsettled amid expectations of a potential rematch between the two fighters.
In the rematch between Mexican Jaime Munguía and Argentinian Bruno Surace, Munguía achieved a clear and convincing victory by unanimous decision, reaffirming his superiority over his opponent and strengthening his position as one of the most prominent names in the middleweight division.
In a thrilling and decisive bout, Swedish fighter Badou Jack succeeded in seizing the WBC cruiserweight title after a tough victory over Armenian Noel Mikaelian, by judges’ decision, following a closely contested twelve-round fight in which both fighters were evenly matched.
It is worth noting that this historic bout holds great significance in the world of boxing, as it is being held for the first time outside the United States and Mexico, further enhancing Saudi Arabia’s status as a global hub for boxing and for organizing tournaments that meet the highest standards of major bouts.