Jaime Munguia Looks to Create his Legacy by Usurping Canelo
Coming up for Jaime Munguia (49-0, 34 KOs) on May 4 is the opportunity of a lifetime as he will battle undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) in Las Vegas. Munguia’s motivation is dual. One is to win and become a two-division world champion. The other is to supplant Alvarez as the face of boxing in their country of Mexico.
PLENTY TO FIGHT FOR
For nearly a decade, Alvarez has held the mantle of the preeminent fighter in Mexico. But Munguia feels that this is his time. The 27-year-old is the former WBO junior middleweight champion and is well-respected in his hometown of Tijuana, Mexico. But he wants more. During an interview with DAZN Boxing, Munguia spoke about what he believes is at stake.
(Translated from Spanish) “We have worked too hard for the results and the record we have. Day by day, we keep working and trying to grow and get better . . . This is to create a legacy with the name Munguia.”
In this sport, legacy is earned by what you do in the ring. Canelo is a four-division champion. You don’t accomplish what he’s done without showing both, brains and brawn, in the ring. His last outing was a dominant win over former undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo in September 2023.
A NEW AND IMPROVED FIGHTER
Within boxing circles, there’s a belief that Munguia is a level below Alvarez in the skills department. The main critique of Munguia is that he doesn’t pay enough attention to defense. But the Tijuana native believes his style has been advanced under the tutelage of recent trainer Freddie Roach.
He showed considerable improvement in his last fight – a one-sided ninth-round stoppage over John Ryder in January 2024. The same Ryder went the distance in a loss to Alvarez in May 2023.
Munguia believes his continued progress will show in droves against Alvarez. While he has great respect for the undisputed champion, he’s in full fight mode, and respect will cease to exist once the bell rings on May 4.
“In the ring, we’re enemies. We’re going to see who is the best that night. That’s where we’ll talk.”
At age 33, some pundits have argued that Alvarez is past his prime as a fighter. Munguia hopes that his youth, ring development, and hunger are enough to overcome the future Hall of Famer and rise to become the new emperor of modern-day Mexican boxing.
