Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring to defend his undisputed super-middleweight title when he takes on the former WBO junior-middleweight champion Jaime Munguia in what should be a fierce all-Mexican battle.
Canelo was beaten by Dmitry Bivol in 2022, but that contest came at light-heavyweight and the Guadalajara fighter has since beaten Gennadiy Golovkin, John Ryder and Jermell Charlo back in the 168lbs division.
Munguia is an unbeaten, fresh and powerful former world champion, but the Tijuana man steps up in class and weight and those are the big question marks ahead of the pair’s clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at (04:00) on Sunday morning.
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Munguia Can Upset Canelo
Alvarez is one of boxing’s all-time greats, but all good things come to an end and the 33-year-old’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight may be terminated in Las Vegas.
Of course, Canelo is not an old fighter in terms of age, but the Guadalajara man is a veteran of 64 professional contests and there have been some signs that he is starting to slow down.
Alvarez was beaten when stepping up to light-heavyweight to fight Bivol in 2022 and while that defeat can be excused, given the Kyrgyzstan is an elite-level boxer and Canelo gave away all physical advantages, the Mexican took plenty of punishment against a powerful opponent in that contest.
Yes, victories over Golovkin, Ryder and Charlo have followed, but the success over a faded GGG wasn’t convincing while Ryder and Charlo took Alvarez the full 12 rounds and that may just give Munguia hopes of causing an upset.
When you consider that Rambo stopped Ryder, who took Canelo the distance, there’s collateral form to suggest the Tijuana fighter could prove a handful for his veteran opponent.
The 27-year-old is a fresh challenger and it’s worth remembering that Rambo is a former junior-middleweight world champion, who only gave up that title to step-up to super-middleweight and chase the all-Mexican showdown against Canelo.
Munguia made a successful transition to the 168lb division by beating the talented Sergiy
Derevyanchenko on his debut at the new weight class, and the fact that Rambo has stopped both of his opponents since making the move to super-middle, suggests that the Mexican has taken his power with him.
The 27-year-old is unbeaten in 43 professional contests, he is an aggressive come-forward and durable fighter, and unlike many of Canelo’s previous challengers, Munguia will come with belief and ambition, with both boxers being from the same country adding another layer of spice to the contest.
Of course, toppling the undisputed super-middleweight king will be no easy task, but it may not be as difficult as the prices suggest and Munguia looks worth a gamble in Las Vegas.
JAMIE MUNGULA TO BEAT CANELO ALVAREZ
