Rick Glaser put it succinctly: “Canelo fought another Jermell Charlo type in William Scull—a guy who didn’t come to win, just to survive.”  With the mega showdown against Terence Crawford now officially announced, Canelo Alvarez heads into the bout as the undisputed super middleweight champion. At The Venue Riyadh Season, he secured a unanimous decision victory over William Scull.

However, the headliner that followed the Jaime Munguia vs. Bruno Surace rematch and Badou Jack‘s first title defense drew harsh criticism from both fans and pundits. The reason? Many felt it was dull, uneventful, and lacked the energy expected from such high-stakes matchups. Scull spent most of the fight circling the ring, avoiding direct exchanges, while Canelo attempted to cut off the ring and corner his elusive opponent. The result was an uninspired affair that fell short of expectations. Much of the criticism targeted the Cuban-born Scull, who was seen as overly defensive. But not everyone let Canelo off the hook. Some argued that the Mexican superstar should also be held accountable for the underwhelming contest. Claressa Shields, for one, seemed to echo Glaser’s sentiment: “The paying fans deserved a lot better.”

Claressa Shields: Come on, this is boxing, not a track meet!

“It’s both fighters’ fault!” the two-time Olympic gold medalist stated emphatically. Referring to the strategic method of limiting an opponent’s movement, she added, “When you’re against a mover/runner—cut the ring off!” Clearly frustrated, the multi-division champion questioned why fighters often forget the essence of the sport: “This is the hurt business.”

Needless to say, most users who responded to Claressa Shields’ post seemed to agree with her take. One fan put it simply: “Talking facts here! Glad I’m not the only one with this opinion—it means more coming from you.”

Former title challenger Chris Algieri didn’t hold back either. He said, “This is the first time I’ve seen Canelo be old and slow.” Not all fans may agree with that assessment. However, it’s clear this wasn’t one of Canelo Alvarez’s most memorable performances. For many, it was yet another letdown following the underwhelming Times Square event the day before.

A present fight, haunted by past greatness

From the opening bell, the tone of the fight was apparent. Cuban-born William Scull relied on slick footwork, circling around the ring to avoid direct exchanges. Canelo followed, trying to cut off the ring and trap him against the ropes. But the rhythm stayed the same for twelve rounds.

Now that approach isn’t inherently flawed. The issue for fans was that neither fighter ever truly committed to a sustained exchange. It was mostly single punches followed by more circling and resetting. Claressa Shields hit the nail on the head. Scull, who became a champion last October, didn’t seem willing to take risks. But the bigger question many had was: What happened to Canelo?

Why didn’t he press harder? Where was the trademark aggression, those ripping body shots, slick head movement, and relentless pressure? Was Canelo just there? A half-hearted presence?

It brings to mind a far more assertive performance from decades past. On March 18, 1991, the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, then on a 73-fight winning streak, faced John Duplessis in a welterweight title defense. Chavez didn’t wait around. Cutting off the ring, he hunted Duplessis down, punished the body, and forced a fourth-round TKO. Fans still remember how Chavez never gave his opponent room to breathe, eventually trapping him and unloading with ruthless combinations.

In a fight with undisputed status on the line, that’s the kind of energy fans hoped for from Canelo.

So, what do you think happened to Canelo last night?