William Scull is often not taken seriously by boxing fans.

It’s true he hasn’t passed elite-level tests yet — but he’s already secured a fight against Canelo.

That, however, doesn’t diminish his boxing ability.

The Cuban is a skillful boxer.

He feels distance extremely well, often working off the opponent’s mistakes and punishing them sharply.

Given his physical dimensions, facing an opponent like him will inevitably present some challenges.

From Canelo, you shouldn’t expect anything new.

He has polished his style for years, refining it against dozens of opponents.

Álvarez will apply steady pressure, systematically moving forward.

He’ll aim to land heavy shots at mid and close range, focusing on the body and arms to slow Scull down — and then look to finish him.

Álvarez is two years older but vastly more experienced as a professional.

This will be Canelo’s second undisputed title fight — after fighting nearly every major name in the divisions he competed in.

For Scull, this is effectively the first serious test of his career, and that could be a critical factor.

Álvarez is not a high-volume puncher.

His goal is to trap his opponent at a comfortable distance and work with short, compact combinations, or catch them with one or two counters.

Scull, meanwhile, will have to be more active than usual.

Normally, William shifts into higher gear when intercepting an opponent’s attack.

But against Canelo, he’ll have to either hold him off with sharp, heavy punches or overwhelm him with volume.

One of the key questions will be whether Scull can implement that on fight night.

Canelo has long maintained a steady rhythm — two fights a year.

He has stuck to this schedule consistently since 2021 (the year he fought three times).

Scull also fought twice in 2024 — but against different levels of opposition.

Álvarez defeated Berlanga and Munguía; Scull beat Gemphill and Shishkin.

This is a truly interesting point.

Scull’s KO rate is under 40%, but that doesn't mean he lacks power.

He can land cleanly and heavily — he simply operates in a very different style.

This fight against Canelo will be the real test of whether he can land with enough force to make it count.

Canelo hits hard, but that’s not the main thing.

Saúl masterfully sets up punches his opponents don’t see coming.

Berlanga and Munguía are big, young, strong guys — but Canelo still found them with punches at exactly the right moments.

It’s hard to find anyone in boxing who absorbs shots better than Canelo.

Three fights against Gennady Golovkin, dozens of other top opponents — Saúl has weathered it all.

For Scull, it won’t just be about hitting hard — he’ll have to hit often and at the right moments to even start making Canelo uncomfortable.

William, unbeaten so far, has shown good defense and chin — but facing the Mexican legend will be a completely different level of test.

One of the more intriguing details:

Canelo and Scull will fight in Saudi Arabia — for both, it will be their first time there.

But they will be fighting on U.S. prime-time broadcast schedules.

Locally, the fighters will start their bout very early in the morning — around 6:00 AM.

That factor could have a real impact on the fight.

A huge opportunity and challenge for Scull.

Despite his solid boxing skills, a win here would be the upset of the year.

For Canelo, this is just another mission to complete.

Another opponent, another big, strong guy.

There’s no reason to expect Canelo will take Scull lightly — the Mexican is one of the most professional fighters in the world today.

However, for Álvarez, this fight is not the same magnitude of challenge as it is for his opponent.

Moreover, Canelo’s future is already being mapped out:

A win here, becoming undisputed again — and then a showdown with Terence Crawford later this year.

Could Saúl become complacent?

Unlikely — but it’s always something to keep in mind.