Here's What To Expect
Jake Paul was very eager for his next headline-making bout and went straight for the jugular, challenging 66-2 multiple world champion Canelo Alvarez. After weeks of fiery internet exchanges and back-and-forth negotiations, Canelo’s team finally gave the nod to a potential showdown—only for the champ to pivot and secure a lucrative deal with Riyadh Season that pairs him with William Scull on May 3rd. Not one to hold back his emotions, Paul fired off a stinging retort on X, calling Canelo a "money-hungry squirrel chasing his next nut," who ducked the fight EVERYONE wanted. While Jake Paul continues to whine about the missed opportunity, one thing is certain: Canelo is getting paid.
Riyadh Season's Head of Entertainment Turki Alalshikh urged Canelo that the four-fight deal was much more lucrative than anything that could've went down with Paul.
"Hey guys, don’t pay attention to anything of this f****** YouTuber. I just fight real fighters. No f****** around with Canelo. Come on, let’s go." Alvarez stated on X just moments after the news was made public. As the boxing world preps for May 3rd, speculation mounts over who Jake Paul's next opponent might be. Could it be a 44-year-old welterweight who hasn't stepped into the ring for a decade, a big-name competitor with an unblemished record, or perhaps a complete no-name with no social media presence to speak of? Only time will tell.
Speaking of no-names, attention shifts to Canelo's upcoming "warm-up" bout against mystery opponent William Scull. Many fans see this as nothing more than a critical stepping stone before his highly anticipated clash with Terence Crawford in September—but what do we know about Scull?
23 Fights. 23 Wins.
Scull boasts a flawless record. Should Canelo be afraid? Let's take a deeper look.
Nicknamed, "The Indomitable", the 5'11" super middleweight took the stage for the first time in 2016, eventually building up a reputation formidable enough for him to be named Canelo's mandatory challenger. Canelo initially backed down and relinquished the opportunity to fight for Scull's IBF belt but now the tides have turned—these two will face off in May. Despite his stature, Scull’s impressive reach and punching power effectively add to the four-inch height differential against Canelo, and from film his defense seems to be honed to perfection which adds another layer of threat. With such credentials, one can’t help but wonder : is Canelo actually the underdog?
Then again, Canelo's counter ability and adaptation have made him adept in every situation. It's easy to look at the size difference, but let's not forget who Canelo is; A world-class fighter who thrives under pressure. Not only does he frequently adjust his gameplan mid-fight, but he possesses a mental fortitude the likes of which is rarely seen. Eager to add to his legacy, Alvarez has expressed a fierce eagerness to showcase his abilities for the first time outside of North America for the Riyadh fight.
This fresh challenge make the upcoming fight promising, but it's polarizing the fans—here's what they've been saying:
"This is going to be a really ugly fight. Scull is a very negative fighter with a big size advantage. Honestly, a really bad matchup for Canelo" said one Reddit user.
"Don't know much about Scull...but this is certainly better than Jake Paul. Canelo should win but since it's for the IBF belt it should be competitive" said a fan on X.
This is shaping up to be an interesting match—one that promises to shake things up and pull Canelo out of his comfort zone. Will Scull pull off the upset? Will Canelo breeze through him like trash, making this bout just a stepping stone toward his showdown with Crawford? Will Jake Paul's next opponent be...George Foreman?
We'll be covering it all here at FOSN,
Stay tuned for more updates!
Until next time... 🥊
JP
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