WBC Special Preview: Canelo vs. Munguia
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Super Middleweight World Championship
May 4, 2024 / Las Vegas, Nevada / T-Mobile Arena
Subscribe to @dazn in DAZN.com/WBC to Watch #CaneloMunguia
#TamaulipasBelt
CANELO PROMOTIONS & TGB PROMOTIONS PRESENT:
SAÚL “Canelo” ÁLVAREZ (Mexico)
WBC Super Middleweight World Champion, 6 Title Defenses
Former 2-time WBC Middleweight World Champion
Former WBC Super Welterweight World Champion, 6 Title Defenses…
Age: 33 / Date of birth: July 18, 1990
Residence: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico / Birthplace: Juanacatlán, Jalisco, Mexico
Record: 60-2-2, 39 KOs / Total rounds: 484 / World championship fights: 21-2-1, 11 KOs
Height: 5’8” – 173cm / Reach: 70.5” – 179cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager, trainer: Edison “Eddy” Reynoso
JAIME MUNGUIA (Mexico)
Ranked WBC No. 1 at Super Middleweight
WBC Silver Super Middleweight Champion, 1 Title Defense
Age: 27 / Date of birth: October 6, 1996
Residence, birthplace: Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Record: 43-0, 34 KOs / Total rounds: 199 / World championship fights: 6-0, 3 KOs
Height: 6’0” – 183cm / Reach: 72” – 182cm / Stance: Right-handed
Promoters: Zanfer Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions / Trainer: Freddie Roach
WBC SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONS
1. Ray Leonard (US) 1988 – 1990
2. Mauro Galvano (Italy) 1990 – 1992
3. Nigel Benn (GB) 1992 – 1996
4. Thulane Malinga (S. Afr) 1996
5. Vincenzo Nardiello (Ita) 1996
6. Robin Reid (GB) 1996 – 1997
7. Thulane Malinga (S. Afr) * 1997 – 1998
8. Richie Woodhall (GB) 1998 – 1999
9. Markus Beyer (Germany) 1999 – 2000
10. Glenn Catley (GB) 2000
11. Dingaan Thobela (S. Afr) 2000
12. Dave Hilton (Can) 2000
13. Eric Lucas (Can) 2001 – 2003
14. Markus Beyer (Germany) * 2003 – 2004
15. Danny Green (Australia) Interim 2003 – 2005
16. Cristian Sanavia (Italy) 2004
17. Markus Beyer (Germany) * 2004 – 2006
18. Mikkel Kessler (Den) 2006 – 2007
19. Joe Calzaghe (GB) 2007
20. Carl Froch (GB) 2008 – 2010
21. Mikkel Kessler (Den) * (Emeritus) 2010
22. Carl Froch (GB) * 2010 – 2011
23. Andre Ward (US) 2011 – 2012
24. Sakio Bika (Cameroon) 2013
25. Anthony Dirrell (US) 2014 – 2015
26. Badou Jack (Sweden-US) 2015 – 2017
27. David Benavidez (US) 2017 – 2018
28. Anthony Dirrell (US) * 2019
29. David Benavidez (US)* (Interim) 2022-
30. Canelo Alvarez (Mexico) 2020 –
WBC TOP 10 SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONS
1. Ray Leonard (US)
2. Joe Calzaghe (GB)
3. Nigel Benn (GB)
4. Andre Ward (US)
5. Markus Beyer (Germany)
6. Carl Froch (GB)
7. Mikkel Kessler (Denmark)
8. Robin Reid (GB)
9. Danny Green (Australia)
10. Eric Lucas (Canada)
MEMORABLE WBC SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS
Sep. 30, 2023 Canelo Alvarez W12 Jermell Charlo – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 6, 2023 Canelo Alvarez W12 John Ryder – Zapopan, Jalisco
Sep. 17, 2022 Canelo Alvarez W12 Gennady Golovkin – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 6, 2021 Canelo Alvarez TKO11 Caleb Plant – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 8, 2021 Canelo Alvarez TKO8 Billy Joe Saunders – Arlington, Texas
Feb. 27, 2021 Canelo Alvarez TKO3 Avni Yildirim – Miami Gardens, Florida
Dec. 19, 2020 Canelo Alvarez W12 Callum Smith – San Antonio, Texas
Feb. 23, 2019 Anthony Dirrell TW10 Avni Yildirim – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sep. 28, 2019 David Benavidez KO9 Anthony Dirrell – Los Angeles, California
Feb. 23, 2019 Anthony Dirrell TW10 Avni Yildirim – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Feb. 17, 2018 David Benavidez W12 Ronald Gavril – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 8, 2017 David Benavidez W12 Ronald Gavril – Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 14, 2017 Badou Jack D12 James DeGale – Brooklyn, New York
Apr. 30, 2016 Badou Jack D12 Lucian Bute – Washington, D.C.
Sep. 9, 2015 Badou Jack W12 George Groves – Las Vegas, Nevada
Apr. 24, 2015 Badou Jack W12 Anthony Dirrell – Chicago, Illinois
Aug. 16, 2014 Anthony Dirrell W12 Sakio Bika – Carson, California
Sep. 8, 2012 Andre Ward TKO10 Chad Dawson – Oakland, California
Dec. 17, 2011 Andre Ward W12 Carl Froch – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Nov. 27, 2010 Carl Froch W12 Arthur Abraham – Helsinki, Finland
Dec. 6, 2008 Carl Froch W12 Jean Pascal – Nottingham, England
Nov. 3, 2007 Joe Calzaghe w12 Mikkel Kessler – Cardiff, Wales
Oct. 14, 2006 Mikkel Kessler KO3 Markus Beyer – Copenhagen, Denmark
Mar. 12, 2005 Markus Beyer W12 Danny Green – Zwickau, Germany
Jul. 10, 2001 Eric Lucas KO7 Glenn Catley – Montreal, Quebec
Mar. 27, 198 Richie Woodhall W12 Thulani Malinga – Telford, England
May 3, 1997 Robin Reid W12 Henry Wharton – Manchester, England
Mar. 2, 1996 Thulani Malinga W12 Nigel Benn – Newcastle, England
Oct. 3, 1992 Nigel Benn TKO4 Mauro Galvano – Marino, Italy
Dec. 7, 1989 Sugar Ray Leonard W12 Roberto Duran – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 7, 1988 Sugar Ray Leonard W12 Donny Lalonde – Las Vegas, Nevada
Both Canelo and Munguia Have Something to Prove
By James Blears
Saul Canelo Alvarez defends his Undisputed Super Middleweight Crown Jewels on May 4th at the T Mobile Arena, Las Vegas against undefeated Jaime Munguia, in an all Mexican Affair, celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
Jaime has won the jackpot in securing the challenge, which guarantees a substantial career best purse. Now he must earn it! He got here by winning the vacant WBC Silver title in a slugfest against the teak tough Sergiy Derevyanchenko and then, the spectacular ninth round TKO of Islington Warrior John “Gorilla” Ryder.
The Derevyanchenko fight, which was grueling marathon, undeniably proved Jaime’s flinty spark of determination and resolve. He was in trouble several times, but rallied and fought his heart out. Going into the last round it was still very close. Touch and go. When the going gets tough…then the tough get going. So, Jaime dug deep and clobbered Sergiy with a crunching left to the body which put him down. It made all the difference, which was crucially reflected in the Judges’ scorecards of: 115-112, 114-113, 114-113.
Jaime had thrown a lot of punches, but sometimes he also threw caution to the wind and in so doing, he received some bunches of painful peaches. Time to bring in Hall of Fame genius Coach Freddie Roach, to polish off some of those still rough edges.
In the Ryder fight we saw an improved Jaime, diligently working behind his jab, avoiding the temptation of solely head hunting and not rushing in where Angels fear to tread. There was noticeably more rhyme and reason to his work, although he was still getting clipped with wincing counters from southpaw Ryder.
Jaime is a tall upright fighter, who doesn’t use anywhere enough head movement. He has to adapt and adopt a more elusive defense, because if his head remains sticking up like a weathervane, Canelo will break a storm over it. Jaime is still too easy to hit. Freddie must introduce more subtlety. Is there time to incorporate this?
Jaime is such an exciting fighter when he get the bit between his teeth and goes on to the attack. Against Ryder round two was barely a minute old when he dropped the taciturn Englishman with a jarring right. He repeated the dose in round four and wobbled Ryder in round five. The end came via two rights in round nine. Ryder somehow got up and was again put down by another right. Referee Wes Melton saved him at 1.25. A tremendous performance of salvos from Jaime.
In his homecoming, Saul had broken John Ryder’s already big dipper nose in round two of their fight and dropped him in round five. But had not been able to accomplish what Jaime later achieved. Saul knocked down Jermell Charlo in round seven, but yet again had not been able to apply the finishing touches. His critics, some of whom are tinged by the bile of jealousy, are trumpeting that he can’t pull the trigger any more. In this upcoming fight against Jaime Munguia, we’re going to see if this notion is piffle, or indeed the case. That’s what Canelo has to prove!
When two Mexicans get into the ring, the whiff of gunpowder and cordite lace the air. When it’s on the Cinco de Mayo weekend…DOUBLE the significance and impact.
We have to go back to the Caleb Plant fight in 2021, to see Saul’s most recent stoppage win, which was in round eleven. He then lost to WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol, defeated an ageing GGG by UD and ticked off UD vics against Ryder and Charlo. Canelo needs to get back on the KO trail.
Saul is the obvious favorite. Aged 33, he’s accomplished so much and built himself into a superstar while never forgetting from whence and where he came. Chepo and Eddy Reynoso have been by his side guiding him all the way, since he was a freckled thirteen year old. Loyalty genuinely means something to Saul! Together he and Eddy have learned and developed together. Their accomplishments are remarkable.
It takes two.
Saul is master of his own destiny, and it’s been glorious. He’s become a multi millionaire and has fought them all venturing from welterweight to light heavyweight. He even considered a tilt at the WBC cruiserweight title.
His pro debut was in 2005. His record is 60-2-2, 39 KO’s. He’s fought 484 rounds and his KO percentage is 65 percent. Jaime’s debut on the pro scene was 2013. His unblemished record is 43-0, 34 KO’s. He’s fought 199 rounds and his KO ratio is 79.07 percent.
Jaime looks very good coming forward, yet he’s nowhere near as good on the back foot, milling on retreat. Saul will be looking to lure the less sophisticated Jaime into traps via feints and then unload on him. A maesto rib bending body puncher, he’ll be looking to soften up Jaime with body punches before testing that famously iron chin. Jaime must use his height and reach advantage to keep Saul at bay before launching tempered two fisted attacks. If he wades in, he’ll find himself in very deep water.
Canelo has patience and guile plus greater experience which he’ll certainly utilize. Aged twenty seven, Jaime is six years younger. He possesses the advantage, if not fountain of youth. He must use it wisely, or he’ll age rapidly as the rounds flash by.
Not that long ago Zanfer Boss Fernando Beltran came to a Martes a Café to advise of discussions between the two camps which led to his fight being arranged. He said viz the business side of things, the ball was in Saul’s court. Since then, affable and personable Jaime hasn’t put a foot wrong in the PR sphere. He’s been polite and decent, but not contrite. He’s not overawed and he is determined to avail himself of the opportunity of a lifetime.
Fernando has said: “Jaime is entering the best stage of his career. He’s strong, he feels good and he hasn’t stopped training. There will be no excuses. All out… and we will win!
Few people think Jaime Munguia has much more than a puncher’s chance, but in Boxing one punch is sometimes all it takes. The famous quote from the film The Imitation Game, about Alan Turing and his team cracking the Inigma Code, encapsulates this, suggesting: “Sometimes it’s the people who no one imagines anything of, who do the things that no one imagines.”
It will be intriguing to gauge who the fans support and cheer for in this one. Canelo has said throughout his illustrious career: “I have to stay calm, cool and collected. The more desperate a person is…the more mistakes they make.
“I’m very happy with what I’ve accomplished, but… we’re going for more!”
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