Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Jaime Munguia possible for May

By Boxing News - 12/24/2020 - Comments

By Jim Malzman:  Gennadiy Golovkin and Jaime Munguia have a fight in the works for Cinco de Mayo next May. If the fight gets finalized, Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) will be making his second defense of his IBF middleweight title against the highly ranked #1 WBC, #1 WBO, #6 WBA #9 IBF Munguia (36-0, 29 KOs).

This will be the first Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend that Golden Boy Promotions has had without their star Canelo Alvarez in many years. The WBO 154-lb champion Munguia would have the opportunity to move into the vacuum left behind by the superstar.

That would make Golden Boy very, very happy if Munguia can take over where Canelo left off. Munguia is already beginning to speak English, something that Canelo has been glacially slow at doing.

All Munguia needs is to take Golovkin’s scalp and beat him without controversy to make himself a star.

Munguia taking over for Canelo

If the 24-year-old Munguia can pull off the upset against Golovkin, it would be a huge win for him and Golden Boy. Of course, it would also foil the chances of Oscar De La Hoya facing Golovkin in 2021 in his comeback.

Golovkin, 38, looked superb last Friday night, beating his IBF mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta by a seventh-round stoppage on DAZN. That was GGG’s first fight in over a year, and he looked rejuvenated as if he’d come from a time machine from 2012.

Image: Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Jaime Munguia possible for May

Not only did Golvkin perform the way he had eight years ago in 2012, but his physique looked cut up the way it used to in his 20s and early 30s.

One another change in Golovkin was his defense. He showed defensive skills that he never had before, and it a surprise to a lot of boxing fans.

Granted, Golovkin wasn’t facing an A-level opponent in Szeremeta, but he still looked marketable improved from his previous fight against Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

Many boxing fans were beginning to believe that GGG was on the slide after the way he had to dig deep to beat Derevyanchenko in October 2019, but he proved against Szeremeta that he still has a lot left in the tank.

The Mexican knockout artist Munguia looked impressive in his last outing, stopping veteran Tureano Johnson in the sixth round on October 30th in Indio, California.

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Munguia showed considerable improvement against Johnson from his previous fight against Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan last January.

GGG is still hoping that Canelo will fight him next May, but it’s not looking good right now. Alvarez is interested in facing Caleb Plant or Billy Joe Saunders in a unification fight at 168.

Golovkin’s power, timing, and jab keeping him at the top

“I really wasn’t interested in the trilogy because I did have Canelo winning both fights [against GGG], but Golovkin went right back to the drawing board, and he looked like the Golovkin of old,” said Gabe Rosado to SnowqueenLA. “He was setting up the jab, setting up the combinations, and moving his head.

Image: Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Jaime Munguia possible for May

“He looked good,” Rosado said of Golovkin’s recent fight against Kamil Szeremeta. “Physically, he looked in the best condition.

“So I am interested in watching the trilogy with those guys [Canelo and GGG]. When I fought Golovkin, he was definitely the prime Golovkin.

“He was younger; he was a lot more experienced. It was my first title fight. So he definitely was a better fighter at the time, but the thing with Golovkin now is his style is one where he can continue fighting because he is very fundamentally sound.

“He doesn’t rely on reflexes, and he doesn’t rely on speed. His style is timing, and he has a good jab.

“A guy like Golovkin, even though he may not be as fast as he used to be, his timing is on point, and he has a good jab. Golovkin hasn’t had a career where he’s taken abuse. So there’s not a lot of wear and tear on him.

“I think with the [Sergiy] Derevyanchenko fight, I think that was a matter of him and his trainer [Johnathan Banks] getting familiar with each other. He had just left Abel Sanchez, and now he’s with a new coach.

“It’s different information and a different game plan. So I think that’s why he didn’t look so good going into that fight.

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“But now, they had a whole bunch of time to really get things together, and I think he looked great,” Rosado said of Golovkin.

GGG’s punching power, jab, and timing were on point for his fight against Szeremeta, and he totally dominated him in scoring an easy stoppage win.

What was different about that fight than Golovkin’s previous three contests was his sharpness. His game was on another level, and he was so much better than what we’d seen firm him in the past.

Gabe interested in Canelo vs. Golovkin III

“I wouldn’t mind it,” said Gabe when asked if he’d like to see Canelo vs. Golovkin III. “I think 168 is loaded. You got [David] Benavidez, you got [Caleb] Plant, and I think [Danny] Jacobs’ stock went down.

“I think put me in the mix now. [Jermall] Charlo might move up to 168. I think 168 is loaded right now. Anybody fighting anyone in that package I just named, I think it’s a great fight.

Image: Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Jaime Munguia possible for May

“I don’t think Canelo gets enough credit that he deserves,” Rosado continued. “He just fought the guy [Callum Smith] that was the best at 168 pounds and made him look average.

“I think any of those fights are good fights. I’m just trying to put myself in the mix where I can call him [Canelo] out.

“So I want another fight with [Jaime] Munguia where I could dominate Munguia or where I could fight a fight with [Demetrius] Andrade. It now puts me closer to getting those bigger fights, those title fights,” said Rosado.

It’s going to be difficult for Rosado to beat talented fighters like Munguia and Andrade, as they’re capable of punching with power and boxing.

Rosado looked like a completely different fighter recently in his 12 round split decision defeat to Daniel Jacobs on November 27th. Despite coming into the fight a huge underdog, Rosado outboxed Jacobs every step of the way and appeared to have done enough to deserve a win.

To beat Andrade or Munguia, Rosado will need to box the perfect fight and avoid going back to his old brawling style of fighting. He won’t beat those types of fighters by going to war with them.

Rosado scolds Benavidez

“David Benavidez is a good fighter and he’s talented, but David Benavidez has got to understand that I do think he’s a really talented fighter but you can’t have these slip-ups, you know?” said Rosado. “And then call out the best. It doesn’t work that way.

Image: Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Jaime Munguia possible for May

“You’ve got to be disciplined, you’ve got to be locked in. You can’t go into a fight and not make the weight, and then you’re calling out Canelo.

“You got to pay your dues. I’m not saying he didn’t because he’s a world champion, but you’ve got to keep that consistency. You can’t be falling off and then think you’re the guy at the top of the list like Canelo,” said Rosado.

Former WBC super-middleweight champion David Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) failing to make weight for his last fight against Roamer Alexis Angulo last August was a letdown.

Losing the WBC title on scales hurt Benavidez’s chances of getting a fight against Canelo, as, without that belt, he wasn’t going to be considered. The only chance that Benavidez has of getting Canelo to face him is if he can somehow pick up a belt.

That’s not going to be possible with Canelo looking to unify the super middleweight division. WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders and IBF champ Caleb Plant aren’t going to fight Benavidez.

They won’t face him knowing that they’ve got a lucrative fight against Canelo coming up.