CANELO’S old IBF super-middleweight title has been put back on the market and two top-rated challengers are now in line to contest the vacant strap. On October 19, William Scull and Vladimir Shishkin are reportedly all set to clash in Germany for the right to be crowned as a world champion after the Mexican maestro was unceremoniously stripped.
Originally from Cuba, Scull is now based in Germany, so he has some sort of home advantage over Russia’s Shishkin, who has transplanted himself to Florida. Scull waited patiently for a mandatory shot at Canelo, even participating in a keep-busy eight-rounder on a Las Vegas undercard in May.
Deemed an unattractive opponent in name and status, Scull 22-0 (9) eventually put sufficient pressure on the sanctioning body to force Canelo to make a decision about his future. Canelo chose Berlanga, and the belt floated down to the next available challengers.
The second challenger is 33-year-old Shishkin, 16-0 (10), who isn’t a household name either but has enjoyed a little more Stateside exposure. Wins over the likes of DeAndre Ware, Sena Agbeko and Jose Uzcategui display solid form at a level just below the very top.
Shishkin appears to be the puncher of the pair. Scull’s best win is a 12-round points win over Evgeny Shvedenko in 2022. Undefeated in 15 fights at the time, Shvedenko was recently erased in a single round by prospect Osleys Iglesias. That form guide could be telling when assessing Scull’s overall ceiling.
