Alvarez unifies super middleweight titles on Saudi debut
Published on: Monday, May 05, 2025
Published on: Mon, May 05, 2025
By: AFP Text Size: Scull (right) lands a punch on Alvarez during their super middleweight boxing match. RIYADH: Mexican boxing superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez unified the super middleweight world titles after a unanimous points win over IBF champion William Scull in Riyadh early on Sunday. Alvarez, 34, improved to 63-2-2 with 39 knockouts after doing enough on his Saudi debut which continued his tradition of fighting during the Mexican festival weekend of Cinco de Mayo. The Cuban super middleweight entered the unification title fight with a 23-0 record as a heavy underdog. Scull largely stayed on the outside for most of the fight, relying on his advantage in height and reach along with footwork and speed to try keep Alvarez at bay. But Canelo was able to land walloping body shots throughout the fight, as he stalked Scull, cutting off the ring and cornering his opponent with flurries of hooks. 'He moved even more than I thought. But, it's OK, we win,' said Canelo in the post-fight interview. Canelo was coming off a lopsided unanimous decision over Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas last year. Alvarez was stripped of his International Boxing Federation belt when he agreed to fight Berlanga over Scull, the IBF's mandatory challenger. This weekend's contest marked the first time Canelo has fought outside of North America during his nearly 20-year professional career. The boxers entered the ring early Sunday morning to coincide with prime time Saturday night TV in North America. The bout had been billed as a tune-up for a widely anticipated showdown between Alvarez and Terence Crawford later this year. Following the win, Crawford entered the ring, where a fight date was agreed for the two to meet in Las Vegas on September 12. On the undercard, Jaime Munguia avenged his knockout loss to super middleweight Bruno Surace last year, after keeping the Frenchman against the ropes for much of the rematch and landing rapid combinations, earning him a unanimous decision. In recent years, the kingdom has been pouring money into boxing events as part of Saudi Arabia's oil-funded thrust into the sporting world, which has drawn accusations of 'sportswashing' its dubious human rights record. Along with Formula One, the LIV Golf tour and attracting several ageing football stars to its domestic league, Saudi Arabia was named last year as the host of the 2034 football World Cup. Alvarez signed a four-fight deal with Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Seasons promotion in February. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
China's World Cup hopes over with 1-0 Indonesia defeat
JAKARTA: China's hopes of reaching only a second World Cup in their history were ended on Thursday after a 1-0 defeat to Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia in Jakarta. Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of Asian qualifying Group C with one game remaining. President Xi Jinping once said he wanted China to win the World Cup, but this defeat means they have still only been to the tournament once, in 2002. The result leaves Indonesia in the coveted fourth spot to remain alive in qualifying for next year's tournament in North America. A sell-out crowd of 76,000 at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium was sent into raptures after the Oxford United striker Romeny tucked away his spot-kick. The 45th-minute goal proved to be the winner after a VAR review when Ricky Kambuaya went down under minimal contact. It came at the perfect time for the hosts, just before the break, following a drab first half. Indonesia have 12 points with one game remaining, with teams finishing third and fourth going into a further round of qualifying for 2026. Now only Bahrain can catch them but they must beat Saudi Arabia at home later Thursday. As for China, they have won just two of their nine games in this round of Asian qualifying, losing seven. Indonesia, now coached by Dutch great Kluivert, are attempting to reach a first World Cup since independence in 1945. They dominated possession throughout and defended stoutly. China -- who won the reverse fixture 2-1 in Qingdao -- applied the pressure with their World Cup hopes fading. After the break Indonesia goalkeeper Emil Audero was forced into a mighty save to keep out Wang Yudong's low shot from the edge of the box. China's Brazilian-born midfielder Serginho flashed a ball across the six-yard box that only needed a touch, but failed to find a suitor. In between Chinese attacks, Indonesia kept finding space to create chances but were unable to convert. Indonesia right-back Kevin Diks found his way into the box but had a shot saved before blazing the rebound wide. But it was their night, both teams largely cancelling each other out, allowing Indonesia to claim victory and spark wild scenes at the full-time whistle. - AFP
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Bengaluru offer cash help after deadly India cricket stampede
BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bengaluru said Thursday they stood 'united' with fans as the Indian Premier League champions announced financial aid to families of those crushed to death during their title celebrations. Hundreds of thousands had packed the streets in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on Wednesday to welcome home their hero Virat Kohli and his RCB team-mates after they beat Punjab Kings in a thrilling IPL final. But the euphoria of the vast crowds ended in disaster when 11 fans died in a stampede near the city's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the players were parading the trophy. Most of the dead were young fans aged between 14 and 29 who had gone out just to catch a glimpse of their heroes. Dozens of abandoned shoes and flip-flops littered the site in the aftermath. RCB offered financial aid of $11,655 to each family of those killed. Indian media have widely reported the team earned $2.3 million in prize money alone for taking the title on Wednesday. 'Our fans will always remain at the heart of everything that we do,' RCB said. 'We remain united in grief.' Kohli, who top-scored in the final, said he was 'at a loss for words' after celebrations of a dream IPL crown turned to tragedy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the accident 'absolutely heartrending'. - 'Stamped on me' - Police used mild force to disperse people outside the stadium, an eyewitness told AFP, but the crowd was 'extremely difficult' to control. Lakshminarayan, who lost his 14-year-old granddaughter in the crush, said his family carried the child in a motor rickshaw to hospital. He said celebrations should have been delayed to prepare for the widely expected mass crowds. 'There was no need to conduct celebrations the very next day, they should have postponed it to a week and organised it a better way,' he said. 'You should take all precautionary measures, they should have police protection and follow the queue system.' One of the people injured described to AFP how a 'huge crowd' had crushed her. 'They stamped on me,' said the woman, who did not give her name, from a wheelchair. 'I was not able to breathe. I fell unconscious.' - 'Died in an RCB shirt' - Street food vendor Manoj Kumar mourned the death of his 18-year-old son. 'I wanted him to go to college,' Kumar told the Indian Express newspaper. 'I brought him up with a lot of care. Now he is gone.' A grieving mother outside a city mortuary said her 22-year-old engineering student son had also died. 'He was crazy about RCB,' she was quoted as saying by the Indian Express. 'He died in an RCB shirt. They danced when RCB won and now he is gone. Can RCB give him back to us?' Authorities had already called off RCB's proposed open-top bus victory parade through the streets after anticipating vast crowds. But organisers pressed ahead with the welcome ceremony and celebrations inside the stadium. RCB's social media account posted a video of cheering crowds lining the streets as the players waved back from their team bus on their way to the stadium. The team said they cut short the celebrations 'immediately upon being made aware of the situation'. Karnataka state chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the stadium had a capacity of 'only 35,000 people, but 200,000-300,000 people came'.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Inzaghi to coach Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal
FORMER Inter boss Simone Inzaghi was revealed as the new coach of Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal on Thursday, days before they take part in the new-look Club World Cup. The Italian, who led Inter to a heavy defeat in Saturday's Champions League final, had earlier played down rumours of a two-year deal worth €50 million (RM242m). 'I am Simone Inzaghi and today begins my story with Al Hilal,' he said in a slickly produced video posted on X, in which he sips Arabian coffee and pins an Al Hilal lapel badge on his suit. Inzaghi, 49, becomes just the latest high-profile footballing acquisition for oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which will host the World Cup in 2034. 'The Italian genius is here,' Al Hilal posted. 'Welcome, Simone Inzaghi.' Inzaghi joins the likes of Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic at Al Hilal, which let injury-hit Neymar go in January after just seven appearances since his arrival in August 2023. A source with knowledge of the negotiations last week told AFP that the 'first option' for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has signalled he is leaving rival club Al Nassr, could be a move to Al Hilal. Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes this week said he rejected Al Hilal's reported $135m (RM573m) offer because he wanted to 'continue to play at the highest level'. Inzaghi's Inter slumped 5-0 to Qatar-funded Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday's Champions League final. His departure was confirmed on Tuesday. The former forward guided Inter to one Serie A title and two Italian Cups since joining in 2021. He took them to two Champions League finals in three seasons but lost both. On track to repeat the treble heroics of 2010 just a few weeks ago, Inter ended the season trophyless after falling away in each competition. Inter, PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester City are also among the 32 teams at the expanded Club World Cup, which starts on June 15. – AFP
