A thrilling encounter unfolded tonight with Jaime Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs) triumphing over former world title contender, Sergiy Derevyanchenko (14-5, 10 KOs) at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA. An electric crowd of 7,647 saw an evenly contested, explosive match, which got them off their seats right from the beginning. Both fighters exchanged fierce blows to the head and body, each trying to assert their dominance. In a chaotic second round, Derevyanchecko hit the deck but it was judged as a slip. Seizing this opportunity, Munguia cornered Derevyanchenko with a rapid burst of power punches that visibly rattled him. The climax of the fight came in the 12th round when Munguia landed a fierce body shot, causing Derevyanchenko to tumble. Despite Munguia’s relentless pressure, Derevyanchenko managed to evade his pursuit until the bell rang. The judges handed the victory to Jaime Munguia with scores of 115-112, 114-113, and 114-113, crowning him the new WBC Silver Super Middleweight Champion.
“I am thrilled about the outcome of the fight,” Jaime Munguia expressed. “Despite making some errors, we still remain undefeated. I am delighted with the decision, and it was genuinely hard-earned. After delivering some significant blows in the 10th round and managing to knock him down in the 12th, we prevailed. Our intense training in the gym played a key role in our victory.”
In the co-main event of the evening, Shane Mosley Jr. (20-4, 10 KOs) clinched the NABO Middleweight Title by defeating D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (21-2-1, 13 KOs) of Temple Hills, Massachusetts, with a seventh-round knockout. Originally slated for 10 rounds, Mosley Jr. successfully navigated Ballard’s unorthodox style until the referee put an end to the fight at 1:42 of the seventh round.
Shane Mosley Jr. stated, “My strategy was to dominate the fight right from the start. I was in control even when he was pushing me back – it was part of my plan. I positioned him exactly where I wanted him. And when I turned on the heat, it was too overwhelming for him. Securing the knockout was part of my plan. The only defeat he has faced is at the hands of Jaime Munguía, the main event winner. This puts me in line for the belt – it’s championship season. I aim to be the WBA world champion.”
In what was deemed the surprise of the evening, Mexico City’s Mayeli Flores (10-1-1, 3 KOs) outclassed her countrywoman, the experienced two-division world champion, Mariana “Barby” Juarez (55-13-4, 19 KOs) in an eight-round super bantamweight contest. Flores quickly earned the crowd’s approval with her aggressive fighting and endless volley of punches. The judges scored the fight 73-79, 73-79, and 72-80.
“I had dual goals in battling Mariana,” stated Mayeli Flores. “The first was to emerge victorious, the second was to demonstrate to the American audience that women’s boxing can be as thrilling, if not more so, than men’s boxing. I had a game plan and came well-prepared, aiming to apply relentless pressure from the start. I believe my strategy led us to victory today.”