use strict;
use warnings;
use Data::Dump qw/pp dd/;


Class->new("method");

Class::new("function");


# sub UNIVERSAL::new {
#     warn "UNIVERSAL", pp \@_;
# }


package Class;
use Data::Dump qw/pp dd/;


sub AUTOLOAD {
    warn "AUTOLOAD", pp \@_;
}
[download]

AUTOLOAD["Class", "method"] at d:/Users/lanx/AppData/Roaming/exp/new_a
+utoload.pl line 23.
AUTOLOAD["function"] at d:/Users/lanx/AppData/Roaming/exp/new_autoload
+.pl line 23.
[download]

with UNIVERSAL::new() uncommented:

UNIVERSAL["Class", "method"] at d:/Users/lanx/AppData/Roaming/exp/new_
+autoload.pl line 14.
AUTOLOAD["function"] at d:/Users/lanx/AppData/Roaming/exp/new_autoload
+.pl line 23.
[download]

So a class which counts on catching ->new in AUTOLOAD would be sabotaged.

A normal function call wouldn't be effected by UNIVERSAL.