Canelo Alvarez is now officially mandated by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) to defend his undisputed super middleweight titles against the Cuban fighter William Scull. This comes as Alvarez has previously managed to bypass mandatory defenses against other contenders like David Benavidez, prioritizing his own choice of opponents. Scull, a formidable contender with a record of 22 wins and no losses, including nine knockouts, is not someone Alvarez can overlook without risking his titles.

William Scull, once a youth champion in Cuba and now ranked number one by the IBF, has built his professional career in Argentina and Germany. His recent victory over Sean Hemphill in Las Vegas has only cemented his position as a top contender.

The IBF has given Canelo and his team 28 days to reach an agreement to fight Scull or face a purse bid, a pressure similar to that which saw Alvarez stripped of his IBF title in 2019 for failing to arrange a mandatory defense against Sergiy Derevyanchenko. With history potentially repeating itself, the boxing world is keenly watching to see whether Alvarez will defend his title against Scull or choose to relinquish his belt in favor of fighting another opponent. This decision could significantly impact Alvarez’s reputation and standing in the super middleweight division.