Saul Canelo Alvarez likely to relinquish IBF belt and lose undisputed status
Saul Canelo Alvarez will reportedly vacate his IBF 168lbs world title after purse bids were ordered between himself and mandatory contender, William Scull.
Unbeaten Cuban, Scull (22-0, 7KO), is currently the IBF #1.
It’s unlikely the public will respond well to a boxer of Canelo’s stature announcing a fight with a relatively unknown name as Scull, despite scalps over Evgeny Shvedenko, who challenges for the IBO World super-middleweight title in June.
Canelo retained his undisputed status in May after dropping and decisioning Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas.
The 33-year-old Mexican is expected to return in September, but an opponent is not yet confirmed, although the frontrunners are Puerto Rican Edgar Berlanga and American-Mexican Diego Pacheco.
Fight fans have all but given up hope of Canelo and David Benavidez ever meeting in the ring.