Jaime Munguia’s destruction of game vet John Ryder last Saturday night made it clear that he’s one of the top fighters at 168. It also showed that he’s ready to face Canelo Alvarez, the #1 fighter in the super middleweight division, next in May.
Using a respectful approach to calling out King Canelo, Ryder set moments after his ninth-round TKO win over Ryder at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, “It will be a great fight among Mexicans. If Canelo gives us a chance, it would be an honor to be in the same ring as him.”
Now, the question is, will Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) choose to face Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs), or will he go in the direction of an equally tough Jermall Charlo next on May 4th? That’s who many in the boxing world believe that Canelo will pick, but he could choose to throw a curveball by facing Munguia next to show that he’s unafraid of fighting the young lion.
Can Munguía’s Power Punish Canelo’s Chin?
If Canelo wanted to show fans that he’s not one to shrink from a high-risk fight, he would take on one of these two dangerous killers: David Benavidez or David Morrell Jr.
Those two are leagues above the rest of the 168-pounders, including Munguia, who is a good fighter, but he’s nowhere close to the level of Morrell and Benavidez. In the talent department, he’s several galaxies away from them.
Munguia can out-punch, outwork, and win. Because of the 27-year-old Munguia’s good punch resistance, Canelo probably won’t be able to stop him. The only way Canelo can win is by schooling him with his technical ability and using the ring to avoid being a stationary target, like Ryder did last night.
Stamina: Friend or Foe?
Ryder made it easy by fighting with his back against the ropes, looking to catch & counter against the high-volume fighter. That was risky for Ryder to do, and he paid the price for it.
At 33, does Canelo still have mobility? And will Munguia allow Canelo to move around the ring without cutting it off and forcing him into exchanges? What about Canelo’s notoriously poor stamina? Will it hold up for a high-pace fight against Munguia without him fading after the first three to six rounds?
