Jaime Munguia vs. Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan on Jan.11 on DAZN in San Antonio, TX

By Boxing News - 11/18/2019 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Jaime Munguia will be moving up to 160 to face power puncher Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan on January 11 on DAZN at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, according to @BarbosaBox.

O’Sullivan has a history of falling apart when facing punchers. Last year in September 2018, O’Sullivan was destroyed by David Lemieux by a 1st round knockout. If Lemieux can do that to O’Sullivan, then it’s quite possible that Munguia will too, as long as he lands first.

O’Sullivan could pull off an upset

This is a battle between two big power punchers with huge power. Whoever lands first could wind up getting their hand raised. The defensive skills of Munguia are substandard, and that gives O’Sullivan a chance if he comes out swinging in the 1st. He’s got to let his hand go early though, because if he doesn’t, Munguia will take him out quickly.

Munguia (34-0, 27 KOs) will be vacating his World Boxing Organization junior middleweight title. That belt will be fought over by Carlos Adames vs. Patrick Texteira.

The 23-year-old Munguia will likey be the favorite by a wide margin going into the contest, as the 35-year-old O’Sullivan (30-3, 21 KOs) falls apart when he steps it up to face better opposition. Munguia is a B-level fighter, and that means O’Sullivan has a shot at winning if he can land his big shots early.

The boxing fans on social media aren’t too happy with Golden Boy Promotions’ choice of opponent in matching Munguia against O’Sullivan. There are a lot better middleweights that Golden Boy could have put Munguia in with, but they’re not taking any chances with him.

Jaime won’t need to melt down to 154 any longer

Munguia looked really bad in winning a controversial 12 round majority decision over Dennis Hogan last April in Monterrey, Mexico. The boxing public thinks Munguia was given a decision that he didn’t deserve. That fight showed that it’s time for Munguia to move up to 160, because he’s not able to melt down to 154 any longer without it impacting his performances. Munguia is said to have rehydrated to 175 lbs for his last fight against Patrick Allotey last September.

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That’s an absurd amount of weight for a junior middleweight to be weighing. This isn’t new for Munguia to be rehydrating nito the 170s. The fact that he’s been able to make the 154 lb limit is a product of his youth.

Munguia destroyed Allotey by a 4th round knockout. That was another fight in which Munguia was raked over the coals by boxing fans for picking a lower level fighter to make an easy title defense against instead of defending against one of the talented contenders.

Munguia is going to have a difficult time when he starts facing good opposition at 160. O’Sullivan is an easy mark though.

“Should be Munguia’s first entry fight at 160,” said @BarbosaBox. “Yes…Carlos Adames Vs. Patrick Texteira,” @BarbosaBox said when asked if those two will be battling for Munguia’s WBO 154-lb title.