Jaime Munguia grew up admiring Canelo Alvarez, and now he’s looking to snatch the mantle out of his countryman’s hands to become the new face of boxing for Mexican fans.
Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) and the undisputed super middleweight champion
Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) will square off on May 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The 27-year-old Munguia is thankful to be able to fight the superstar six years his senior.
“I feel great. I am really happy to have this opportunity. It's the perfect chance to show the world who I really am,” Munguia told BoxingScene.
“I am so glad to be a part of this fight and a part of this event. I don't see it as Canelo and me dividing or separating Mexico. I think we are bringing people together. They are going to enjoy a great fight … Absolutely, I always watched his fights, and now I'm ready for the fight myself.”
Alvarez will be facing a fellow Mexican for the first time since beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2017.
Alvarez has stated that he’s open to engaging in a war with the offensive-oriented Munguia.
“Let's see what happens. A lot of things can happen inside the ring. It's going to be a great fight,” said Munguia on the potential of a war. “We've been working on little things. Some Canelo-specific, some more general. We've been in the kitchen working on a lot of things.”
The Freddie Roach-trained Munguia’s zeal for offensive flurries as well as his defensive deficiencies should make it a stylistically pleasing fight.
The always entertaining Munguia dropped John Ryder four times in January to score a ninth-round stoppage win and also had a fight of the year win against Sergiy Derevyanchenko last year.
Munguia’s win against Ryder marked his first fight with Roach after a four year run with Hall of Fame fighter turned coach Erik Morales.
Munguia also pulled off a feat that Alvarez couldn’t by stopping the Brit. Last May, Alvarez considered Ryder a tuneup homecoming fight and even though he dropped him and busted his nose, he failed to close the show with a stoppage.
“I would like this fight to be remembered as [a fight of the year],” said Munguia. “Hopefully, the fight will be etched in history and tattooed in the memory of fans as they witness a great fight that will endure time.
“A knockout win would be a radical change in my life. I wouldn't be able to tell you how because it hasn't happened yet.” Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
