Saul “Canelo” Alvarez And William Scull kept it cool and civilized throughout the accumulation of their undisputed confrontation.
However, everyone found a way to widen on Thursday at the last press conference before their championship affair.
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The four main titles of medium super-point titles are at stake when Mexico Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KB) and Scull (23-0, 9 KB)-A Cuban export based in Berlin, Germany-meet at the top of a Dazn Pay-Per-View this Saturday from the Anb Arena in Riyadh, in Saoudie. The jet lag will in fact place the main event in the ring at around 6 am, local time on Sunday (11 p.m. he).
Alvarez puts its linear championship and its WBC, WBA and WBO belts on the line. Scull is delivered with the IBF belt which was stripped of Alvarez last year.
Scull is just happy to have the opportunity at allSince this fight was not even on the table a year ago.
“We were surprised, to be honest,” Scull, 32, told Chris Mannix from Dazn during his stay at the microphone. “But you are still in training to prepare for something like that. We thank Canelo and his team for accepting this fight. Now we are here and ready.”
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The fight marks the first in Saudi Arabia for the two boxers.
It is a little more surprising of a decision for Alvarez de Guadalajara, a fighter n ° 7 Book for non-couronne book and undoubtedly the world's largest star star. The weekend of Cinco de Mayo traditionally placed the champion with four division in Las Vegas, in the middle of a festive atmosphere in what has long served as a boxing capital of boxing.
This dynamic threatened to change since the Riyadh season group entered boxing, Turki Alashikh taking the lead in the movement. This corner of the world welcomed the first unquestionable heavyweight championship of the 21st century between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, their revenge with three belts, and clashes of light heavy goods vehicles entirely unified between Dmitry Bivolt and Arturbiev.
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These four fights have taken place in the past 12 months. Alvarez is now ready to join this list, in the opportunity to become a King Super Middleweight undisputed twice.
“I am very happy to be here in Riyadh,” said Alvarez about his first career fight outside of North America. “This is the only part that seems different. It is always a dream of fighting in another country. I am about to do so and I am excited. It's the same thing (excitement) for me and I'm ready for Saturday.
“The start was a little difficult. Not only for the weather, but the weather is a bit heavy. This is what I come for three weeks before. I knew it was going to happen and now I'm ready.”
Canelo Alvarez meeting William Scull on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the undisputed average weight. (Photo of Fayez Nureldine / AFP)
(Fayez Nureldine via Getty Images)
Alvarez has won global titles at each average junior weight weight at a light heavy goods vehicle. He claimed the status of linear championship at 154, 160 and 168, the latter where he reigned supreme since a victory in December 2020 on Callum Smith, at the time, to win the WBA “Super” and WBC vacant titles.
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Saturday will mark the ninth global defense of these belts, as well as six others with the WBO title in play.
This is his first fight with the undisputed crown on the line in exactly 52 weeks, with Scull as why the IBF belt is no longer in its possession. Alvarez was ordered to honor his compulsory title challenge, but chose to face the most recognizable Edgar Berlanga, whom he defeated via twelve laps in the range last September in Las Vegas.
Scull won the IBF vacant belt in a twelve round decision against Vladimir Shishkin on October 18 in Falkansee, Germany. Their battle of undefeated contenders came with much less fanfare than what is the case with a fight in Alvarez.
However, it was a sufficient lever effect for Scull to return this match and now positions itself for a night – well, morning in Riyadh – where he promised to shock the world.
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“I left Cuba and continued to face adversaries in 24 different countries,” noted Scull, whose professional trip led him from Cuba to Argentina, Germany and now on the largest scene of sport. “I am against the fighters who underestimated me. As on these occasions, I am here to prove that everyone is wrong.
“I am grateful for the chance to unify it and I am ready to say:” Yes, I can “.”
Alvarez was quick to tell Scull that no, he can't.
“He says he's going to eat me but the only thing he's going to eat is (increases the fists),” said Alvarez, pulling a climb of the intimate but passionate crowd at hand. “Everyone always talks a lot about s *** but he will feel something different for sure.”
The last War of Words by Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba became fiery before their fight on Saturday on the subcardier of Canelo-Scull. (Photo of Richard Pelham / Getty Images)
(Richard Pelham via Getty Images)
Bakole, Ajagba ignites a sub-press
The greatest upheaval occurred halfway through Thursday's press event. Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba spent months preparing for the other in the ring, but were impatient to let their insults fly before negotiating the fists.
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Bakole and Ajagba previously had to meet in an eliminator of the IBF heavyweight title. This status has changed when Bakole (21-2, 16 KB) – A Congolese competitor based in Scotland – agreed to face Joseph Parker in New Zealand in just two days as part of the February 22 supercard in Riyadh. Parker won through KO of the second round, although Bakole has always had the opportunity to face Ajagba from Nigeria (20-1, 14 KB) in a battle in Africa.
“Parker's fight was not my fight,” insisted Bakole, who broke a sequence of victories of five fights with the short -term mission. “This is my fight. Parker's fight was just a telephone call. They asked me to come and save the show, so I did it.”
His opponent was less interested in this past as he was in the immediate future.
“I ask him to be hard because he will be punished,” promised Ajagba, who has won his last five competitions. “I'm going to bring out the beast. I want to see what he has. I just focus on being (the best in Africa). ”
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That was all it took.
“You better be ready,” insisted Bakole. “You talk about S ***.”
“You are talking about S ***,” replied Ajagba. “You continue to talk about S ***, I'm going to close my mouth. I'm going to beat you the fucking shit.
“You have fought anyone. This is your first fight. It will be your first real fight.
Small body, large energy. You, big body, small energy. Be ready, be ready.
Also in the show:
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Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KB) defends his title of Cruiserweight WBC returned against Noel Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KB), which was stripped of the initially removed belt from Jack in 2023.
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Jaime Munguia de Tijuana (44-2, 35 KB) meets Bruno Surace of France (26-0-2, 5 KB) during a revenge match at their meeting on December 14, won by Surace via the sixth round in a massive upheaval. Munguia has since been linked to Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez coach completely in a career; Munguia lost against Alvarez via a unanimous decision in their undisputed average weight championship exactly 52 weeks ago.