Canelo Signs To Fight William Scull May 3 & Terence Crawford Next in Four Fight Deal With Turki Alalshikh
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Las Vegas, NV (February 9th, 2025)– Turki Alalshikh put forth his formal announcement on a video released on ‘X. “Don’t mess with the lion!” he stated. Canelo has responded “Let’s go, brother.”
The proposed September 2025 super fight between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence Crawford, for Canelo’s super middleweight world title belts, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, announced by Ring Magazine on February 3, 2025, and then canceled, is now back on. However, that Las Vegas bout in September 2025 will be contingent on Canelo being able to successfully defend his world super-middleweight titles on May 3, 2025, and unifying his world super-middleweight titles against International Boxing Federation World Super Middleweight champion William Scull.
The possibility of Jake Paul versus Canelo was taken off the table as fast as it was agreed to, with the Sheikh’s counteroffer too sweet for Canelo to pass up on. Besides Paul fought over 227 pounds when he defeated Iron Mike Tyson in Arlington, Texas, this past November 2024. Paul would have to lose 40 pounds to return a catch weight of 185 pounds for Canelo, which Paul weighed in October 2023 when he won a 10-round decision in Dallas over Nate Diaz.
Canelo has signed a deal to fight four times in the next two years with Sheikh Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Entertainment Authority, with three bouts to take place exclusively in Saudi Arabia, and the Crawford bout to take place in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, British promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing believes Anthony Joshua versus the currently retired Tyson Fury later in 2025 remains a strong possibility, with social media rumor names Martin Bakole and Deontay Wilder not in the loop for A.J. at present.
On May 3, 2025, Canelo, 62-2-2 with 39 knockouts, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, who holds the World Boxing Association Super World, the World Boxing Council and the World Boxing Organisation World Super Middleweight titles, will fight a Cinco De Mayo super middleweight titular unification bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, against Scull, 23-0 with nine knockouts, Berlin Germany by way of Matanzas, Cuba.
In September 2025, Alvarez will fight Southpaw 41-0 WBO World Super Welterweight champion Terence Crawford, a three-division titleholder.
In February 2026, Canelo will return to Riyadh to fight a rematch with either: former World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, currently training for a rematch with unified World Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev; 21-0 British middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz, who holds the European and WBC Silver and CBC super middleweight regional titles; or 34-3 Chris Eubank Jr. (if Eubank gets by 23-0 Conor Benn in April 2025).
For Canelo’s October 2026 scheduled fight date in Riyadh, the Sheikh does not state Canelo’s opponent. A solid possibility could be 28-0 Cameroon super middleweight Christian Mbilli, the World Boxing Council Super Middleweight Continental Americas regional champion fighting out of Montreal, Canada. Other names could be 13-0 Osleys Iglesias, the IBO World Super Middleweight champion from Cuba fighting out of Berlin, Germany, or 23-0 Diego Pacheco, the WBO International and WBC USA World Super Middleweight regional champion, a California now fighting out of Renton, Washington. Also possible could be two previously mentioned names, 33-0 Jermall Charlo, the former World Boxing Council World Middleweight champion, who has been inactive since November 2023; and 23-0-2 Bruce Surace, the promising middleweight contender from Marseilles, France, who knocked out Jaime Munguia in the fifth round in Tijuana, Mexico in a major upset in December 2024.
In February 2026, Canelo is set to return to Riyadh for a rematch against either former World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, who is currently preparing for a rematch with unified World Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev; unbeaten British middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz, holding the European, WBC Silver, and CBC super middleweight regional titles; or 34-3 Chris Eubank Jr., provided Eubank defeats 23-0 Conor Benn in April 2025.
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