By Jeff Aronow: Jaime Munguia takes on contender Tureano Johnson this Friday, October 30, on DAZN in the main event. Although the 24-year-old Munguia has fought once at 160, this will be the first fight against a legitimate middleweight. Munguia-Johnson card begins at 8:00 p.m. ET on October 30th.
The former WBO junior middleweight champion Munguia’s official first fight at 160 came against Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, who is basically a 154-pounder. That match didn’t prove anything other than that Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) could beat a lower-level junior middleweight.
Tureano (21-2-1, 15 KOs) will be the B-side when he climbs into the ring to face the popular Golden Boy Promotions fighter Munguia on Friday at the Fantasy Springs in Indio, California.
Jaime has been moved slowly
Golden Boy has been reluctant to move Munguia up against talented fighters since he turned pro in 2013.
Munguia’s best win came against former welterweight Sadam Ali in 2018, and since then, he’s looked mediocre in beating these fighters:
- Liam Smith
- Takeshi Inoue
- Brandon Cook
- Dennis Hogan
- Patrick Allotey
- Gary O’Sullivan
The lack of quality opposition and how Munguia has struggled in beating them has prevented him from becoming the next star that his promoters at Golden Boy had hoped he’d be by now.
The main problem that Munguia has had, besides his lesser opposition, is that he’s not improving. Munguia isn’t learning from his fights, and his defense is still as dreadful as when he turned pro in 2013.
The way Munguia struggled to beat O’Sullivan in his last fight speaks volumes about his lack of progress. Munguia not only looked bad in that fight, but he came close to being knocked out.
The only thing Golden Boy can do is match Munguia against the B-level fighters like Tureano and hope that he eventually improves. Munguia might not win this fight because Tureano has a lot of experience and can pop with the best of them.
Tureano’s only two career defeats came against Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Those were fights in which Tureano was doing well until he was caught by big shots and knocked out.
Munguia: I deserve a world title shot
“I think that I’m in one of the most competitive divisions in boxing,” said Munguia to DAZN. “There are great champions in this division. I am pushing myself, and I consider that we are getting to those leagues.
“And I think that’s why I deserve a shot for that world title. I think we have a big challenge in front of us. That’s why it’s so important to win this fight if we want to go up against the best in the division,” Munguia said.
Jaime is ranked #1 WBO and #2 WBC at 160 after one fight, but he’s done nothing to earn a title shot. If he wins this fight on Friday, Munguia should take on Sergiy Derevyanchenko or Chris Eubank Jr and prove that he rates a title shot.
If Munguia wants the title shot given to him after his match against Tueano, he’ll be shortchanging himself, and he won’t be ready. Fighting Johnson, 36, isn’t enough to prepare Munguia for Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, or Jermall Charlo. He would likely lose to all three of those fighters.
Munguia says he would like to take on IBF middleweight champion Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) in 2021. He and his team feel like he’s ready to face the soon to be 39-year-old Golovkin.
For some reason, Munguia doesn’t sound excited about wanting to fight Canelo and not mentioning WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo’s name at all, period.
Tureano has wanted this fight
“This is the fight that we’ve been praying for fighting Jaime Munguia,” said Tureano Johnson. “I’ve been looking forward to this fight. Munguia is the perfect fit for Tureano Johnson.
“I fight to provide for my family, and I fight to represent my country in the Bahamas. And I fight to do what God has blessed me to do, and that’s to go to in the ring and beat folks up,” Johnson said.
“I lost to Curtis Stevens, and I lost to Sergiy Derevyanchenko,” Johnson said. “Ironically, I’m training with Andre Rozier, the coach of both of those fighters. And Andre Rozier has added a whole lot to my camp.
“Andre has taught me one thing. ‘I know how to beat Tureano Johnson.’ Adding the best person to my team was the best thing that I’ve ever done. I think I have a knack or taking out guys O’s. Jason Quigley was an undefeated young fighter also. I think we easily disposed of him,” said Johnson.
Tureano likely saw Munguia’s controversial win over Dennis Hogan and his sloppy like and death fight against O’Sullivan last January, and he’s now chomping at the bit to face him.
The lack of hand speed, poor defense, and inability to move his head makes Munguia an easy mark for the good fighters at 160.
Munguia expects lots of action
“It’s not that he worries me,” said Munguia of Tureano. “It’s more that I need to be a bit more cautious with Tureano’s experience.
“I really think it’s been very exciting for me to think about this fight. And I think it’ll be a very fantastic fight where there will be a lot of action, lots of punches.
“I would recommend this fight for everyone on October 30th against Tureano Johnson,” said Munguia.
There will be a lot of action in this fight because that’s the only way Munguia fights. If he tries to box Tureano, he’ll put himself at risk of losing a decision.
Tureano has a better amateur pedigree and superior boxing skills. The 2008 Olympian does everything better than Munguia but punch. Johnson doesn’t possess the size or power that Munguia does, but he’s still far more skilled.
Johnson has trained hard for Munguia
“I’ve trained even harder to fight Jaime Munguia,” said Johnson. “He has don due to his body size, which you know he’s gifted and blessed to have a great overwhelming size and energy.
“Put him inside the ring with someone his size, somebody like Tureano Johnson, who is smarter, stronger, faster and has more endurance and who is much more ruthless and hungrier,” Tureano said. “He’s not going to stand a chance.”
Johnson needs a win here to keep his career going, and he can’t afford to lose against such a young fighter.
Hopefully, we don’t see another controversial win for Munguia because following in Canelo Alvarez’s footsteps with questionable wins left and right would hurt his career.