Jaime Munguia says he’d like to face Jermall Charlo next if he’s out of the running for a fight against undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on May 4th.
Canelo has already made it known this week that he won’t be fighting a Mexican fighter for his May 4th date on Cinco de Mayor, so that removes the possibility of #1 WBO Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) getting a chance to face him.
Name Dropping vs. Actual Risk
It’s unclear how serious Munguia is about that fight or, more importantly, if his promoters at Golden Boy and Zanfer Promotions would be agreeable to letting him fight ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez, given there’s an excellent chance that Canelo chooses to face Jaime in September.
Munguia must know by now what fighters Golden Boy and Zanfer would be willing to match him against while they’re waiting for the Canelo money fight. Benavidez is not one of them, obviously, but you can’t blame Munguia if he chooses to use his name for clout purposes to get attention on him.
“I would like to face Canelo or Benavidez, but if it’s not possible, against [Jermall] Charlo, it would be a good fight, and we are here to face the best,” said Munguia to Probox TV site.
The Ryder Win: Smoke and Mirrors?
Munguia is coming off a ninth-round stoppage win over 35-year-old John Ryder last January. Golden Boy made a big deal out of the win but failed to mention that Ryder was coming off a pounding from Canelo in his previous fight and didn’t look at all good.
“We will continue working and fighting,” Munguia said. “Obviously we are always trying to improve, the truth is I felt very good in the last fight, and I think we are ready for any challenge at 168 pounds.”
Calculated Path to a Payday
Munguia, 27, says he’d also be interested in facing WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez. If Munguia wants a title shot, he can easily get one by asking WBA ‘regular’ super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr., who’d gladly oblige him.
Obviously, Morrell is too advanced talent-wise from the opposition that carefully managed Munguia has been facing during his 11-year professional career, and he would likely ruin his chances of getting the Canelo payday he’s been chasing during his career. Morrell would be a likely disaster for Munguia.