THIS October, Canelo Alvarez will celebrate 20 years as a professional fighter and may do so as a two-time undisputed super-middleweight champion.
The 34-year-old has already conquered the 168lbs division, taking all four titles during an 11-month period between 2020 and 2021, featuring wins over Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant. At the beginning of 2025, the Mexican superstar is still the main man at 12 stone but only holds three of the titles. That may soon change.
German-based Cuban William Scull won the IBF title in October after a narrow win over Vladimir Shishkin in Falkensee. The belt had become vacant after Canelo chose to relinquish the title and face Edgar Berlanga rather than fulfil a mandatory defence against Scull.
Speaking to Puños Cubanos, Scull revealed that an approach had been made for an undisputed clash and that on January 10, the two teams will sit down to try and make a deal. The IBF titlist added that Berlanga and IBF number three contender Christian Mbilli had been other possibilities, but the latter had been ruled out ‘due to financial issues’.
The news, however, will come as a disappointment to Terence Crawford and David Benavidez. Both men who have been linked to a showdown against the four-weight world champion. Crawford is the current WBA super welterweight champion while light heavyweight contender Benavidez faces a severe test of his own credentials on February 1 when he tackles David Morrell at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
