Erislandy Lara vs. Yoenlin Hernandez could be added to the Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull undercard on May 3rd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This matchup between two former Cuban amateur talents would add value to the growing card Riyadh Season crowd, and it could wind up a more entertaining fight than the main event.
(Credit: Esther Lin/Premier Boxing Champions)
WBA middleweight champion Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) would be making his fourth defense of his belt that he captured in 2021. The Hernandez (7-0, 7 KOs) would be by far the toughest test for the 41-year-old Lara if this fight gets made, as this guy is a big puncher, fighting at a high level, and much younger at 27.
Cuba Clash
“Another fight that is being considered for May 3rd in #CaneloScull is the duel between Erislandy Lara and Yoenli Hernandez in the middleweight division. It would be a historic Cuba 🇨🇺 vs Cuba 🇨🇺 for the WBA world championship,” said Salvador Rodriguez on X.
The southpaw Lara has had an easy road since winning the WBA belt in 2021. In his three defenses, he’s beaten Gary O’Sullivan, Michael Zerafa and Danny Garcia. That’s not exactly the murderer’s row, but it also reflects how weak the middleweight division is now.
Yoenli Hernandez will take a big step up in class if the fight with Erislandy Lara is made. In the three-year professional Hernandez’s recent fights, he’s beaten Angel Ruiz Astorga, Bryce Henry, and Jose Sanchez Charles. Those have all been developing fights for Hernandez and nowhere near the level of Lara.
Additional fights are expected to be added to this growing card as the weeks and months progress. It wouldn’t be surprising if this event ended up as well-stocked as the February 22nd card in Riyadh.
Also on the Canelo-Scull card is the rematch between super middleweight contender Jaime Munguia and Bruno Surace. The two fought last December, with Surace knocking out Munguia in the sixth round in front of his hometown fans in Tijuana, Mexico. Munguia vs. Surace is the co-feature for the May 3rd Riyadh Season.
Last Updated on 02/11/2025