Boxing’s global takeover continues and this Saturday, it stops in Riyadh. If you thought last night’s fights were good, you’re in for a surprise for tonight.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves returns with a stacked Cinco de Mayo weekend card headlined by none other than Canelo Alvarez, who looks to reclaim his IBF title and remind the entire world who runs the super middleweight division.
4 high-stakes fights anchor this Saudi showcase, each with legacy and massive title implications. From heavyweight brawls to long-awaited rematches, this is a card built to shake up the sport from 168 to heavyweight. It’s going to be good, but that also means there are some serious bets on the line.
Canelo Alvarez: -3000
William Scull: +1400
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is back in the ring, and he’s not just fighting to win for the sake of it — he’s fighting to reassert dominance and the odds support that.
This is King Canelo’s first time fighting in Saudi Arabia, the start of a lucrative 4-fight deal. He enters as a 3-belt champ, stripped of his IBF title last year for not facing Scull. Now he wants it back, and let’s be honest — Scull isn’t supposed to win this.
Scull holds that IBF belt, of course, but he’s been fighting in anonymity. Yes, he beat Vladimir Shishkin, but that’s a far cry from facing Canelo on the world stage. He’s fairly tall at 6’1”, rangy, and technically solid — but he doesn’t have the power or résumé to scare Canelo into the corner.
Fight Prediction. Scull might survive a few early rounds with his jab and movement. However, once Canelo closes the gap and starts working the body with his power and precision, it’s a wrap. This feels like a methodical beatdown. We expect Canelo to break him down and stop him between rounds 7 and 9.
Best Bet. Canelo by KO/TKO/DQ at -200. With the moneyline sitting at a terrible -3000, you’ll need boxing bet props to make any amount of money. Canelo to win in rounds 7-9 is at +275 and that offers the real value in this showdown.
Martin Bakole: -380
Efe Ajagba: +285
This is a heavyweight fight that might not go past the halfway mark and that is not surprising.
Bakole’s stock skyrocketed after he flattened out Jared Anderson last year. But his 2-round KO loss to Joseph Parker back in February exposed lingering issues — namely, conditioning. Sure, he took that fight on short notice, but it was a reminder that size and power only get you so far when you're gassed. We think he got the message.
Ajagba, on the other hand, is a classic puncher’s chance guy. He’s built like a comic book character and has a brutal right hand, but that’s about it. His volume is low, and his split-decision win over Guido Vianello wasn’t exactly convincing of anything spectacular.
Fight Prediction. Bakole is more active, more powerful, and should press the pace. But if he comes in heavy and sloppy again, Ajagba could catch him, but we don’t think he’ll let that happen again. Still, Bakole's pressure game is better suited for this matchup. We see him winning by stoppage — assuming his gas tank holds up.
Best Bet. The fight doesn’t go the distance and it’ll end in either Round 6 or 7, both of which are priced at +750. Both men hit hard and aren’t known for slick defense so they’re going to be worn down. Bakole by KO/TKO/DQ is a solid bet, but unless you can find it better than -165, the odds aren’t great.
Badou Jack: +120
Norair Mikaelian: -155
At 41, Badou Jack is still doing the damn thing and that’s surprising. He’s looking to defend his WBC cruiserweight belt after a year of sitting on the sidelines and weathering the usual WBC drama. He’s the more seasoned fighter here by a long shot, but Father Time is the opponent nobody beats.
Mikaelian, though, is fresher. He won the same belt last year, but politics made him a “champion-in-recess.” Now he wants it back and he’s hungrier than ever. His style is clean, busy, and controlled — perfect for outworking older fighters who slow down late.
Fight Prediction. This one’s a bit trickier. Jack’s fight IQ is definitely elite, and his bodywork could wear Mikaelian down. But the layoff and age are big red flags we simply can’t overlook. Mikaelian’s activity and volume might be just enough to outpoint Jack over 12 rounds — if Jack can go 12 rounds.
Best Bet. Mikaelian by decision. We’re betting against age and inactivity, not just against skill. At +200 for the decision, we’ll take that all day long.
Jaime Munguia: -1100
Bruno Surace: +650
This is the rematch nobody saw coming last year, and now it could be a career-defining fight for both of these fighters and they have the perfect venue to do it.
Surace shocked the boxing world back in December 2024, knocking out Jaime Munguia in Tijuana after getting dropped early. That win skyrocketed the French fighter into a serious contender status — but some, like us, think it was a one-off fluke.
Munguia, meanwhile, is fighting for redemption. He’s only 28 years old but has been in a lot of wars. His style — high volume, relentless pressure — is fun but can be a bit flawed. He leaves openings, and Surace exploits them with sharp counters.
Fight Prediction. This fight will undoubtedly be fireworks again. Surace is confident and technical, but Munguia won’t make the same mistakes twice and we think the bookmakers notice that. If he tightens up defensively and doesn’t gas, he can grind this one out. We like Munguia to take a tough decision.
Best Bet. Munguia by decision at +170. We don’t expect another KO and Munguia should fight smarter this time.
This card isn’t just a spectacle — it’s a turning point in the sport. Boxing is back and lighting it up this weekend.
If Canelo wins as expected, he becomes undisputed again and tees up a massive showdown with Terence Crawford in September. We’ll be all over that one.
If Bakole wins, he gets a title shot, likely later this year. But a loss to Ajagba would shake up the IBF picture quite a bit.
If Mikaelian wins, he likely becomes the true WBC cruiserweight champ again and shakes up that division, which has been frozen since Jack’s layoff.
If Munguia loses again, his days as a top-tier fighter might be over, but he’s young enough he could bounce back in a year or two.
This card also features rising talent, including Marco Verde’s pro debut and Brayan Leon vs. Aaron Guerrero — fights that could produce future contenders. The odds aren’t sharp enough for us to jump on them, but they’ll still be fun to watch.
Saudi Arabia has become boxing’s second home and this Riyadh card proves it. While Canelo is the clear headliner coming into tonight, every fight on this card has something to say about where the sport is headed.
Veterans like Jack and Canelo want to prove that there’s still gas in the tank. The up-and-comers such as Surace and Ajagba want to break through. And the stakes? They couldn’t be higher for them and for the bettors.
Canelo by KO (Rounds 7–9)
Bakole by KO / Fight Doesn’t Go Distance
Mikaelian by Decision
Munguia by Decision (but don’t ignore Surace + money value)