“It is not fair”: the shocking defeat of Canelo Álvarez against William Scull generates outrage and a loss of 80 million dollars
In a shocking surprise that has shaken the world of boxing, Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez suffered a humiliating defeat by unanimous decision against William Scul on May 3, 2025 in the ANB Arena de Riyad, Saudi Arabia, renouncing its supermedian titles of the AMB, the WBB and the OMB. The Cuban challenger, now undisputed champion of the 168 pounds with the incorporation of his FIB belt, dethroned the Mexican icon in a fight that caused worldwide astonishment and cost Canelo approximately 80 million dollars in profits and future perspectives. After the fight, Canelo’s outbreak – “is not fair, they stole me” – unleashed an intense debate, with fans and analysts divided on the verdict of the judges and the future of the biggest star in boxing.
It was expected that Canelo, who arrived as a favorite with a quota of -3000 according to ESPN, dominated Scull, 32, who held a 23-0 record, but faced skepticism for being a mandatory challenger without experience. The main event of the Riad season, part of the Canelo Four Fight Contract for $ 400 million, saw the 34 -year -old boxer fight against the elusive feet game and the relentless SCNCs. The judges gave him a score of 116-112, 115-113 and 117-111 to Scull, according to Al Jazeera, by connecting 293 blows against 152, according to Compubox, the smallest amount in a fight of 12 assaults in 40 years. Scull’s tactical brilliance, perfected over 350 amateur fighting, neutralized Canelo’s power, leaving the Mexican visibly frustrated. “He ran all night,” Canelo said after the fight, according to Marca, insisting that the punctuation cards did not reflect their aggressiveness.
The financial consequences were devastating. The guaranteed cinnamon bag, estimated at $ 80 million per mmamania.com and publications of @MyMixtapez, was assured, but the defeat frustrated a mega fight planned for September 2025 with Crawford Terence, with a potential value of $ 100 million, according to Sportskeeda. The Dazn PPV, with a price of $ 59.99, was criticized for its weak action, with only 6,000 fans attending the ANB Arena, according to Forbes. Scull, with a personal record of $ 3 million according to @mediotime, emerged as the new hero of Cuban boxing, and his victory was qualified as “the greatest in modern history” by @boxingfanatic in X. The cinnamon record is now 62-3-2, his third defeat in his career after Floyd Mayweather (2013) and Dmitry Bivol (2022).
Canelo’s statement of “is not fair”, added to “they stole me”, unleashed a controversy. His followers in X, like @libertariomexa, echoed his accusations of robbery, citing the tight 115-113 card and arguing that Scull’s defensive style should not exceed Canelo pressure. Others, such as @thelokilad, praised the masterful performance of Scull, pointing out that its scope and movement of 185 centimeters exceeded the complexion of 188 centimeters of Canelo. The controversy intensified when @heyitsmarcosv questioned the impartiality of the judges, while @noeeduardo22 praised the “perfect planning” of Scull. Yahoo Sports described the “historically terrible” fight, which expanded the rematch orders, which Canelo demanded in a heated press conference after the fight, according to ESPN.
The defeat transforms the boxing panorama. Scull, with a 24-0 mark, faces possible fighting against Chris Eubank Jr. or David Benavidez, according to Sky Sports, while Canelo’s agreement for the Riyadan season, which includes a fight with Crawford, hangs from a thread. @Juanpablofdz in X speculated on the “decline” of Canelo, citing its slowness, but @cadenaradiomx replied that its legacy remains intact. The preliminary billboard, which included Jaime Munguía’s defeat against Bruno Surace, vanished in the midst of the main event. While Scull gloats in glory and Canelo plans its redemption, boxing prepares for a new chapter, with “the indomitable” rewriting the story and the fallen king promising to resurface.
