Oscar De La Hoya is almost gleeful, visualizing Jaime Munguia dethroning the King, Canelo Alvarez, giving him the boot from his royal throne on May 4th in Cinco de Mayo.
Referring to it as the “changing of the guard,” De La Hoya makes it clear that the undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo’s time is up, and he’s now ready to be replaced by the younger fighter, Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs).
If Oscar gets his way, his younger fighter, Canelo, will get his gold watch and rocking chair. Munguia will be the new four-belt champion on May 4th and ready to defend his titles against all comers, possibly starting with David Benavidez. That’s the guy Canelo has given the cold shoulder for the last seven years.
Oscar’s Master Plan: Exploit Canelo’s Expiry Date
“He is ready right now. He is positioned right now. This is his moment. This could be the changing of the guard on Cinco de Mayo,” said promoter Oscar De La Hoya to Fight Hub TV about his fighter, Jaime Munguia, replacing the aging Canelo Alvarez on May 4th.
“It’s all about footwork because you have a guy [Canelo], who is 33, and you have a younger guy [Munguia]. So, obviously, his legs are fresher. He can take a punch better, although Canelo does have a good chin. But when you have all that wear and tear under your belts, the armor tends to bend a little at that stage,” said Oscar.
De La Hoya still has the bird of prey eyes to spot weakness in a fighter, and he sees these flaws in Canelo that his vulture-like Munguia can swoop down and pick apart on May 4th:
- Aging legs
- Footwork resembling a cement-shoed gangster
- Fragile chin
- Poor stamina
Munguia: From Underdog to Undisputed?
“So, I have to go with my guy, Munguia. If they go to war and go at it for 12 rounds, I have to go with the younger guy because I think Freddie Roach has got Munguia in a position where he can box,” said De La Hoya.
Munguia has leveled up under Roach’s training. No longer a brawler, Munguia will outsmart Canelo on May 4th. The strategy that De La Hoya sees Munguia using is to take advantage of Canelo’s molasses-like footwork and keep away from his short-range power shots.
“If he wants to, he can stay outside and use his combinations. Look at Canelo’s footwork. I’ve said it all along: he moves like he’s in quicksand. So, if you study his footwork, you can easily win that fight,” said De La Hoya.
