On May 3, the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be the scene of a historic evening headlined by the return of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The Mexican champion will face undefeated Cuban William Scull in a high-voltage super middleweight unification bout. This will be Canelo’s debut in the Arab country, as part of the “Riyadh Season” series of sporting events, which seeks to position Saudi Arabia as a new world leader in combat sports.
Alvarez, the current holder of the WBC, WBA and WBO belts, will look to regain the IBF title, which he lost without stepping into the ring due to a disagreement to face the same Scull, who now arrives unbeaten with 23 victories and an unblemished record. For the Mexican, this fight not only means a symbolic rematch, but also the opportunity to regain the super middleweight throne.
Luxury lineup: big names accompany the main fight
In addition to the main event, the card will feature a solid undercard packed with international talent. Mexico’s Jaime Munguia will be looking to make amends after being knocked out in 2024 by France’s Bruno Surace. The rematch is both personal and professional: Munguia was caught off guard in his own home and now wants to prove that he still has enough gas in the tank to fight for major titles.
Another big attraction will be the professional debut of Olympic medalist Marco Verde, who shone at Paris 2024 representing Mexico. He will face Michel Polina in a litmus test that will mark the beginning of his career in professional boxing. The card will also include the defense of the WBC cruiserweight title by Badou Jack, who will face Noel Mikaelyan in a 12-round bout.
Heavyweight, new promises and young Mexican talent
The clash between heavyweights will also feature Martin Bakole facing strong Nigerian Efe Ajagba, in a fight that promises power and possible quick definitions. Both arrive with great knockout power and aspire to get into the conversation for world titles.
To round off the evening, there will be a battle between young Mexican talents: Brayan Leon and Aaron Guerrero. This duel, scheduled in the middleweight division, will be an opportunity for both to shine on an international stage and take an important leap in their respective careers.
Full card for the event in Riyadh
These are the confirmed fights for the May 3 event in Saudi Arabia:
- Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. William Scull – Super middleweight undisputed title unification
- Jaime Munguia vs. Bruno Surace II – Super middleweight rematch
- Badou Jack vs. Noel Mikaelyan – WBC cruiserweight world title
- Martin Bakole vs. Efe Ajagba – Heavyweight
- Marco Verde vs. Michel Polina – Mexican Olympic medalist’s professional debut
- Brayan Leon vs. Aaron Guerrero – Middleweight, young Mexican talent
The highly anticipated fight between Canelo Alvarez and William Scull will be much more than a title fight: it represents the consolidation of Saudi Arabia as the epicenter of major sporting events.
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