William Scull vs. Vladimir Shishkin

(Source: boxen1.com)

William Scull emerged the victor in his recent matchup with Vladimir Shishkin, as decided by judges. Below, we explain why and how this happened by looking at the background and the fight itself. Also, we provide insights into what now awaits both the winner and the loser.

Fight Overview

The bout, consisting of 12 rounds, was a major IBF event live-streamed by DAZN and Bild+.

Date, Time, and Location

• 🗓️Date: October 19, 2024
• 🕓Time: 4 pm ET/ 9 pm BST
• 🏟️Location: Stadthalle in the town of Falkensee

Titles at Stake

The contenders fought for the IBF super middleweight championship, which became vacant after Canelo Alvarez abandoned the title in July 2024.

Fighter Profiles

The contest featured two unbeaten fighters, each with a well-honed style and impressive record.

William Scull’s Boxing Style and Record

The Cuban has sharpened offensive and defensive skill sets rich in accurate punches and effective blocks. Before the matchup, he recorded 22 fights, with 9 knockouts and no losses.

Vladimir Shishkin’s Boxing Style and Record

Winning all his 16 fights and knocking out 10 of his opponents, Shishkin had much to put up against the William Scull record. The Russian’s precision and power make him a strong rival.

(Source: news-dg.de)

Pre-Fight Preparations

The bout was critical for both boxers since none had challenged a world champion title before.

Training Camps and Strategies

Shishkin trained in Florida under SugarHill Steward’s guidance and Dmitriy Salita’s promotion. Under the tutelage of Franquis Aldama, German resident Scull prepared to enter the ring on his home soil since his promoter, German-based Agon Sports, had acquired the promo rights.

What Both Fighters Have Said Leading Up to the Fight

The Cuban described the upcoming bout as a dream coming true, giving much credit to his opponent, while the Russian treated the fight as easy and seemed to underestimate the rival.

(Source: soloboxeo.com)

Key Strengths and Weaknesses

Here’s the summary of the boxers’ main strong and weak points.

Scull’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Shishkin’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Tale of the Tape

The following are the Vladimir vs William stats and techniques.

Height, Reach, and Physical Stats

Technical Skill Comparison

Overall, the opponents were technically on par, with Vladimir having a better knockout power.

Expert Predictions

There wasn’t a shared understanding among pundits about who would win the fight.

(Source: boxingscene.com)

Boxing Analysts’ Opinions

Some experts favored Scull because he was supposed to perform at home, while others leaned towards Shishkin due to his frequent knockouts, including the latest victory over Mike Guy.

Historical Similar Fights

After the fight, some pundits compared it to the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley bout and similar matches that ended with questionable judges’ decisions.

Fan Expectations

Because there wasn’t a clear favorite, fans were mostly guided by their likes and affinities.

Social Media Discussions

Fans on either side rooted for their favs through plentiful supportive comments on social media.

Predictions From Boxing Fans

Despite slightly lower odds given to Shishkin’s victory by many bookmakers, a decent share of fans beat the bookies by predicting Scull’s win. If you want to capitalize on your next boxing predictions, we recommend visiting the 1xBet page in India, featuring the sport’s best offerings.

Fight Analysis

Now that you know the background, let’s turn to the bout and why it gave rise to controversy.

Both Fighters’ Tactics During the Fight

The fight wasn’t dynamic since neither contender gave it his all. The Russian was generally more active on offense and consistently landed nice shots, but they still lacked power. The Cuban moved well but held most of the time and even hit after the bell without being penalized.

Key Factors That Decided the Outcome

Shishkin was slightly injured in the 5th round but still managed to hit hard in the 12th. As a result, Scull lost his mouthpiece and bought time to regain strength. He was unanimously announced the winner with scores 116-113, 116-112, and 115-113, which raised a lot of debate.

Aftermath and Future Opportunities

The bout not only determined the IBF super middleweight title holder but also mapped out future paths for the contenders.

(Source: rbb24.de)

What’s Next for the Winner?

William Scull has a higher chance of meeting Saul Alvarez after becoming the IBF champion. However, pundits doubt he will keep the title long based on his wavering performance. In addition, boxing news portals mention the following fighters as his next potential rivals:

• 🥊 Edgar Berlanga
• 🥊 Diego Pacheco
• 🥊 Jaime Munguia
• 🥊 Christian Mbilli

Implications for the Loser

Before his fight against Scull, Vladimir Shishkin expressed his determination to confront the unified super middleweight champion Alvarez. However, Canelo may not be interested in competing with the Russian after his loss. Other possible yet up-in-the-air opponents include:

• 🥊 Caleb Plant
• 🥊 Edgar Berlanga