Canelo vs. Scull: Breakdown of “The Least Productive Fight”

In the early hours of May 4, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosted a fight for the undisputed super middleweight world title (up to 76.2 kg) between Mexican star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (63–2–2, 39 KOs) and Cuban challenger William Scull (23–1, 9 KOs).

The fight went the full 12 rounds and ended in a unanimous decision win for Canelo. Judges scored it 115–113, 116–112, and 119–109 in favor of the Mexican.

Canelo tried to slow Scull down with body shots

According to CompuBox, this bout was the least productive 12-round fight in their recorded history. The reason lies in Scull’s style: the Cuban stayed at range, moved constantly, and avoided exchanges, keeping Canelo at a distance throughout the fight.

As a result, Canelo focused heavily on body work — 42 of his 56 landed punches targeted Scull’s torso.

The goal of this tactic: break the opponent’s rhythm, wear him down, and force him to stay mid-range where Canelo could engage. Despite Canelo’s effectiveness and Scull’s overall activity, William never stopped moving, using feints, footwork, and volume to disrupt the rhythm — throwing 293 punches to Canelo’s 152.

Alvarez was more accurate

Still, the efficiency edge belonged to Canelo. He landed at a rate of 36.8%, while Scull connected at just 18.8%. The jab stats followed a similar pattern. Scull threw 220 jabs and landed 27, using them more to manage distance than to do real damage.

Forced to work as an active counterpuncher, Scull stayed mobile as Canelo, shorter and more aggressive, pressed forward and cut the ring. While Scull managed to avoid serious exchanges for 12 rounds, Canelo’s accuracy and ring control ultimately made the difference — just as the judges saw it.