Jaime Munguia recognised that he was out-thought by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez throughout what proved his first defeat.
After an encouraging start to their undisputed super-middleweight title fight at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, the 27-year-old Munguia was knocked down in the fourth round – and for the first time in his career – and rarely looked capable of victory once he returned to his feet.
Alvarez had started by targeting Munguia’s body in an apparent attempt to slow him down, but the right uppercut that forced the knockdown represented the start of him more consistently pursuing the knockout – until he gradually eased to victory via the superior accuracy and quality of his punching.
If Munguia emerged with his reputation enhanced, Alvarez, at 33, demonstrated that he remains among the world’s finest fighters. The challenger’s highest-profile contest, in front of a 17,492-strong largely Mexican crowd on the occasion of Cinco de Mayo weekend, will earn him further rewarding opportunities and, according to Alvarez, ensure that he continues to improve in the ring.
“It’s a great experience, and I started very good,” Munguia said. “Very good. I was feeling very good, and then he started beating me with his experience. But I started very good.
“When he hit me with the uppercut I was more surprised than hurt. I was surprised, and I was not hurt. It was a good punch – that’s it.
“He was in great condition. I was winning the first rounds, then after the knockdown I started to fall into his game, and he started to beat me with his experience.
“I don’t think that he’s invincible. He’s already got two losses [to Floyd Mayweather and Dmitrii Bivol]. He’s a very good fighter, but I don’t think he’s invincible.
“I got desperate to try to recover that knockdown, and I started changing my game, and I think with his experience he started getting me into his game with the counter-punching.
“I believe that it was a great experience. I was always trying to put on a great show for you guys, and I was looking for the fight. It was a great experience.
“I believe I caught him with good punches, and I really believe I hurt him a little bit in some rounds. I believe that he was bothered by my punches to the body.”
Saturday’s fight was the last of Munguia’s agreement with co-promoters Golden Boy Promotions – he is also represented by Zanfer Promotions – but his agreement is expected to be extended.
Oscar De La Hoya, who once promoted Alvarez and argued with him at Wednesday’s press conference, said that, like Alvarez after his defeat in 2013 by Floyd Mayweather, Munguia can improve off the back of defeat.
“Jaime did excellent against the current face of boxing right now,” said De La Hoya. “I take nothing away from ‘Canelo’, I’ve always said he is good fighter in the ring.
“It’s just like Floyd Mayweather versus Canelo – Canelo got schooled and then he became the face of boxing. But this experience for Jaime will take him to a new level.
“It’s just like Mayweather and Canelo – same thing. Canelo got schooled then he became the face of boxing; a good fighter.
“Same thing with Munguia, he didn’t get schooled but he gains experience and becomes a better fighter so this is just the beginning for Jaime.”
