Canelo Alvarez is set to be stripped of his IBF super middleweight title ahead of his upcoming fight against Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas. This decision comes as Alvarez's mandatory title defense against the IBF's top contender, William Scull, has been overdue. Despite losing the IBF title, Alvarez will still defend his WBA, WBC, and WBO 168-pound titles against Berlanga. The IBF is planning to order a vacant title fight between Scull and the No. 2 contender, Vladimir Shiskin.
Alvarez, a 34-year-old Mexican boxer with a record of 61-2-2 and 39 knockouts, became the undisputed super middleweight champion in November 2021 by defeating Caleb Plant. He has successfully defended all four 168-pound belts in four subsequent fights. Alvarez, ranked as ESPN's No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer, most recently defeated Jaime Munguia in May.
Berlanga, a 27-year-old boxer from Brooklyn, New York, with a record of 22-0 and 17 knockouts, will be vying for his first world title in the upcoming fight. Scull, a 32-year-old German boxer with a record of 22-0 and 9 knockouts, has not competed at the world-class level. Shiskin, a 32-year-old Russian boxer based in South Florida, holds a record of 16-0 with 10 knockouts and scored a notable victory over former titleholder Jose Uzcategui in December 2022.
Shiskin's promoter expressed excitement for his fighter's opportunity to compete for the vacant IBF title, highlighting Shiskin's growth and progression in his career. Notably, neither Scull nor Shiskin are currently rated by ESPN at the super middleweight division.
Alvarez joins the ranks of star boxers who have lost their undisputed championships due to being stripped by the IBF. Previously, Oleksandr Usyk was stripped of his IBF heavyweight title after defeating Tyson Fury in May.
