Canelo vs Scull: Former world champions make their predictions for undisputed title fight
What have some of boxing's most respected voices been saying about this fight in the build-up?
Roy Jones Jr
Roy Jones Jr appeared on the Ring Champs podcast and made his predictions for the undisputed clash this weekend.
The former four-weight world champion foresaw that Scull, if he stays true to his Cuban heritage, could pose a threat to Canelo.
'We don't expect this guy to beat Canelo,' Jones Jr explained.
'[But] who were the only two people to give Canelo a really hard time – Floyd Mayweather [Jr] who was a supreme boxer and Erislandy Lara who is a Cuban extreme boxer.
"[ Cubans ] are mindful boxers, usually have very good feet and both caused Canelo the most problems in his career. If this guy has any boxing IQ and he has any kind of feet - this could be a rough night for Canelo, but if he doesn't then Canelo should walk through him'
George Groves
The former WBA super middleweight champion and one half of the legendary Froch-Groves rivalry did not see Scull as any competition for Alvarez. He cast him aside as a stepping stone for Canelo to reach a super fight with Terence Crawford and believed there were no fighters at super middleweight who could lay a glove on the Mexican.
'You go against Canelo at your peril,' Groves told CasinoBeats.
'Because he's been so dominant at super middleweight over the years. I can't see Crawford putting a dent in him. Obviously, he's got to get past Scull first, but I don't think he'll struggle to win that fight. But at super middleweight, I haven't seen anyone of late who I think is going to give him a run for his money.'
Teddy Atlas
Teddy Atlas is a well-known boxing trainer, most recognised for his work assisting Hall of Fame trainer Cus D'Amato in developing a young Mike Tyson and guiding Michael Moorer to the world heavyweight championship in 1994.
Since retiring as a trainer, he has been an active voice in the boxing world and has weighed in on Canelo-Scull, believing that Canelo will win in whichever way he sees fit.
'Unless Canelo is mentally off,' Atlas explained on his YouTube channel The Fight with Teddy Atlas. 'I think this is the kind of night where he can write his own story and his own ending to the story. It's up to Canelo completely. I see what can be a very handy, if not easy win for Canelo.'
Juan Manuel Marquez
As a compatriot to Canelo, it is unsurprising that Juan Manuel Marquez should show strong support for the unified super-middleweight champion. This is exactly what the former four-weight world champion did when asked about Scull's chances in the fight.
Marquez dismissed Scull.
'William Scull is nobody," Marquez told ES NEWS. "He is nobody in the sport of boxing – He's the IBF champion but do you know William Scull? I don't know William Scull.'
Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription
DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more.
An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month.
A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Oleksandr Usyk is one of boxing's greats – but he'll never be able to enjoy success due to horrors of Ukraine war
OLEKSANDR USYK'S fame and fortune is a 'curse' while his friends and countrymen are lying dead in trenches and bomb sites. Derek Chisora lost a 12-round decision against the two-weight undisputed genius in 2020 but the pair bashed up an unlikely bromance. 5 5 5 The heavyweight heroes meet at a Ukrainian sauna when the Brit-basher visits London, and they speak regularly on the phone, when the 41-year-Londoner can hear missiles and rockets raging over his roof. Del Boy was ringside to watch Usyk's latest four-belt crowning over Daniel Dubois on Saturday night at Wembley, cementing his place as a generational talent and a multi-millionaire. But he told our Split Decision YouTube show that all the belts and cash in the world are wasted on the devout 38-year-old, while Vladimir Putin lays siege to his home and slaughters his nation. Chisora explained: 'He has made so much money but he can't enjoy it because his country is at war. 'He can't go around driving a Lamborghini while his friends are having their houses destroyed and they are dying. He is cursed. 'He can't go on holiday in St Tropez and sunbathe and drink tequila because his friends are in the trenches. 'He can't enjoy his money. He can't because he is all Ukraine has right now." Since the 2022 invasion, Usyk has scythed through British boxing 's best big men. 5 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS After Chisora was outpointed, the gap-toothed southpaw did almost faultless doubles over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and now 27-year-old Dubois. And the Englishman reckons the sickening onslaught his people are facing is inspiring him in a way that transcends sport. Oleksandr Usyk has press conference in stitches as he NAMES the left hook that floored Daniel Dubois at Wembley He said: 'The population is going down because so many people, young men, are dying. 'It's so difficult for him but it's also why he is so dedicated, he is doing it for his whole nation. 'If it's your destiny then it's your destiny. If God says it's your path then nothing will take you away from it.' Arguments about cross-generation fantasy fights will rage on in pubs and online forums. But Chisora tries to keep it short and sweet. He added: 'Usyk is 100 per cent a top-10 heavyweight and he is in my top-five. 'European amateur champion, Olympic gold medalist, undisputed cruiserweight world champion and two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. 'What more else can he do? He has whooped us all. He has taken the p***!' 5
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
‘Maybe all of them' – Tyson Fury names three-man hit list that could tempt Gypsy King out of boxing retirement
TYSON FURY has named THREE huge fights that could tempt the boxing legend out of retirement - again. 'The Gypsy King' hung up his gloves once again in January after suffering back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia. 1 Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh recently revealed that he is currently negotiating a three-fight deal with Fury, who was undefeated before losing to Usyk. And there were three names on the Brit's list when iFL TV asked him to list match-ups that would motivate him to box again. Fury said: "Well, don't hold your breath, it's not going to be this year, but it might be next year. "If I get the right offer, it might be 2026. If it turns me on, then I will come back. "But if there is no turn on, I will stay retired. Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, any of them or maybe all of them." Fury won't be able to make a comeback until next year due to his ongoing commitments to various projects with Netflix. The two-time world heavyweight champion is currently in the middle of filming a documentary about his family life as well as the second series of At Home With The Furys. Once that's wrapped up, Alalshikh intends to start sowing the seeds for a mouth-watering all-British showdown between Fury and Joshua. Alalshikh recently told The Boxing Voice: "Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury next year, we are trying to do it and we are thinking about it." Before Usyk knockout Dubois inside five rounds on Saturday, Fury appeared at a boxing event at BOXPARK where he confirmed to fans that he would indeed return. He previously said: "I do miss it, every single day I wake up in the morning and miss it. I've been away seven months, missed it everyday. I'm open to offers at the moment." "The takeover! I'm gonna be 37 in about three weeks so I'm going to be the oldest swinger with all these young boys coming up it's going to be difficult." A trilogy with Usyk is Fury's priority, but it will depend on the Ukrainian's plans for the future. The three-time undisputed king did name Fury to the crowd when listing who he should fight next, also including Derek Chisora, AJ and Joseph Parker in the line-up. Parker, 33, has been named as the mandatory challenger for 38-year-old's Usyk's IBO world heavyweight title.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Two Liverpool legends lined up for managerial return as they go toe-to-toe for same international job
TWO Liverpool legends are battling it out for the SAME international managerial job. Robbie Fowler 's wandering dugout career could take a surprise twist two years after his last job in Saudi Arabia. 4 4 4 Premier League icon Fowler is eyeing a return to India after his spell at East Bengal between 2020-2021. The former Anfield striker is yet to last more than a year in the four club's he's managed. Fowler, 50, has applied to become the new gaffer of the Indian national team, who are ranked 133rd in the Fifa rankings. And according to the Times of India, another ex-Liverpool star has also thrown his name into the hat. Harry Kewell has been named as a contender having also played for Leeds in his playing career. The report complained about the lack of high-quality and big-name candidates being linked. Fowler and Kewell played with each other for two seasons at Leeds, before Kewell joined Liverpool in 2003 and Fowler returned to the club for a second stint in 2006. Kewell, 46, enjoys a slight edge on Fowler's managerial career, after taking the reigns at Notts County, Oldham Athletic and Yokohama. Like Fowler, Kewell has rarely stayed in a job longer than a year, with his longest spell coming at Crawley Town where he managed just 57 games. The shortest was a seven-game stint at Barnet in 2021. The Aussie has also spent time as first team coach at Celtic, first under Ange Postecoglou and then briefly under Brendan Rodgers before taking the Yokohama job. Meanwhile, Fowler first managed Muangthong United where he ended his playing career in 2011. After seven years away, Fowler was hired by Australian side Brisbane Roar, before leaving during the Covid-19 pandemic. He later took over at East Bengal in 2020, managing just three wins from 20 matches before a four month stint at Al-Qadsiah. India face a difficult task to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, needing to win their final four games in qualifying to stand any chance of topping their qualifying group. 4
