Ahead of this weekend’s undisputed super-middleweight title fight, there aren’t many experts picking Jaime Munguia to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.
The Mexican duo are headlining the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to celebrate Cinco De Mayo weekend with an historic clash. But despite Munguia’s 43-0 professional record, it is expected that he may not be quite ready for a pound-for-pound great like Alvarez.
However, there is complete confidence in Munguia’s corner as he continues to improve under new trainer Freddie Roach. The former super-welterweight champion moved to Roach’s Los Angeles gym before his win over John Ryder in January, when he went one better than Alvarez and stopped the Brit.
John Ryder backs Canelo Alvarez to beat Jaime Munguia after fighting both men
Despite Munguia managing to stop Ryder in their fight, which eventually led to his retirement from boxing, the London native is picking Alvarez to win when the pair meet on Saturday. The champion did brutalise his British rival during an homecoming show last year, but couldn’t force a finish.
Speaking with Seconds Out, Ryder explained: “I think it’s a Canelo win for me, but I don’t think it will be an easy fight. I think it’s a fight Canelo can win and win pretty handily, I don’t know if he’ll get him out of there.
“But Munguia is tough, has a good chin, he’s fit and throws a lot of shots. But I think Canelo’s just a bit too smart and it will all just come down to the miles on the clock for Canelo, I believe.”
Canelo Alvarez refuses to consider retirement as Jaime Munguia showdown looms
Despite being just 33-years-old, Alvarez is nearly a two-decade veteran of the professional game after making his debut at 15. After over ten years around the top level, fans are noticing him possibly beginning to decline from his peak.
But the Mexican doesn’t see it that way, and isn’t considering his life after boxing as yet. In the pre-fight documentary series Gloves Off, he said: “I don’t know how many fights I have left. I haven’t thought about it. I go fight by fight, maybe ten maybe five, maybe three or four?
“I don’t know but I’m going to keep fighting because I feel good. As long as I feel this way we’ll see. Maybe one day I’ll say that’s it. It makes me feel very sad to realise that one day I might retire, but I don’t want to think about that. Let’s enjoy it.”
Shane Mosley believes Jaime Munguia has tools to beat Canelo Alvarez
Back in 2012, Shane Mosley thought he might be the man to hand Alvarez his first loss after 40 fights. He went the distance with the future legend, but was unable to show his best at the latter stages of his career and lost the fight by unanimous decision.
Speaking with FightHub TV, Mosley refused to give an outright prediction but did explain how Munguia can get the victory. “Munguia is hungry right now,” he said. “He wants to beat a guy like Canelo and he has the size now, he’s bigger and has filled into the 168lb weight and probably could go to 175lb.
“I think that it could pose a little bit of a threat for Canelo, it’s evenly matched… I think it’s going to be a great fight and I do think Munguia does have a great chance of winning.”
Mosley believes that Munguia can utilise tips from watching Alvarez’s loss to Dmitry Bivol from 2022, when the light-heavyweight champion proved too big for a man who once fought below welterweight. “He could use the [Dmitry] Bivol style,” Mosley continued.
“Where Bivol was throwing a lot of punches and kept a lot of punches in his face. Munguia can do that and maybe that might give Canelo some problems. It would probably shock me a little bit if he won because I’m used to seeing him at 154lb or 160lb, not 168lb.
“Although Canelo came from there as well it seems that he’s grown into the weight and has even fought at light-heavyweight a little bit as well. But I’m not sure, it seems that Munguia has had time to get bigger and that might be the difference.”