Will the once-in-a-lifetime fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford happen this year? With the onset of the new year, the world of boxing is waiting with bated breath. Talks of a potential fight between the Mexican superstar and the P4P best boxer have been going around for some time now.

But amidst the discussions and the speculations, a new update seems to have taken everyone by surprise. Reportedly, IBF super middleweight champion William Scull confirmed Canelo Alvarez and his team approaching him for a potential Cinco de Mayo fixture in Las Vegas. The news must have raised quite a few eyebrows. Just last year, after he defeated Jaime Munguia, Alvarez received instructions from the IBF to face the mandatory challenger—William Scull. The champion, however, settled for a fight against Edgar Berlanga. In the bargain, he had to part ways with the IBF title, though. From an undisputed champion, he became a unified one. It now appears there is more to the Alvarez-Scull story than meets the eye.

Mixed Signals from Team Canelo

Leaving it to the readers and followers’ discretion, eminent journalist Jake Donovan shared, “I have good & bad news on Canelo-William Scull talks.” He revealed that reports suggesting Team Canelo reaching out to Scull remain true. “Yes, Scull’s team has been contacted,” he said.

For some, the second part of the message might feel like a spoiler, though. Donovan mentioned that Scull is not the only fighter considered by Team Canelo. He’s just ‘one of SEVERAL options’. Speaking with Alberto Leon on ‘Punos Cubanos’, William Scull reportedly shared, “The truth is that there are three offers: to Berlanga, to Canelo, and at the time there was talk of [Christian] Mbilli, but I think that was left behind because the offer was not very good.”

Given his goal is to unify the titles and become an undisputed champion, Scull also mentioned that discussions between his team and Team Canelo are set to take place on January 10. Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Scull lives in Berlin, Germany, and maintains an unbeaten record. However, his unanimous victory over Russian fighter Vladimir Shishkin to claim the vacant IBF super middleweight championship was not without controversy.

Never heard about William Scull

In a past conversation, Canelo Alvarez expressed his stance on mandatory challengers. Ahead of their fight, Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga joined Gillie Da Kid and Wallace Peeples for a tête-à-tête. Peeples checked with Alvarez if it would have been better ‘if fighters had to fight people in order instead of picking who they wanted to fight’.

Alvarez argued that it’s the fighters who elevate the prestige of championships, not the other way around. To support his point, he cited examples of boxing legends like Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Mike Tyson. The legends established themselves as stars and superstars. Overcoming odds, he has reached the level where he can command and get what he wants.

“Right now I can do whatever I want, and I don’t want to, and he’s not someone the IBF—hey, you need to fight with this because they—who’s Scull? I never hear about him. Uh, just when they say, Hey, this is your mandatory, I never hear about him. I’m not going to do whatever they want,” Alvarez remarked.

Many fans hope to see Alvarez face Terence Crawford in what would undoubtedly be a historic bout. But it’s possible—a Canelo Alvarez-William Scull matchup could feature on the Cinco de Mayo weekend. There’s also the potential for an entirely unexpected opponent to emerge as a surprise contender.

Does a matchup between Canelo Alvarez and William Scull make sense? Or should Alvarez prioritize a fight with Terence Crawford instead? Let us know your thoughts!