Hand speed and combinations carry Munguia to wide decision over twelve rounds
Jaime Munguia (46-2, 35 KOs) beat Armando Resendiz (16-3, 11 KOs) by unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, 118-110) to win the WBA super middleweight title in Las Vegas. He built an early lead and kept control through all twelve rounds.
Fighting on the David Benavidez vs. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Munguia (46-2, 35 KOs) was the sharper, busier fighter from the start and built a lead that only grew as the fight wore on.
Munguia’s advantage came from his hand speed and combination work. He mixed in steady body shots and followed with hooks upstairs, repeatedly catching Resendiz (16-3, 11 KOs) as he tried to close the distance. Several rounds saw Munguia land clean left hooks and right hands that had Resendiz backing up or forced to reset, even as he continued to come forward.
Resendiz had brief success early when he was able to crowd Munguia and throw in spots, but he couldn’t match the pace over extended stretches. Munguia kept the exchanges on his terms, stepping around pressure and answering back with quick bursts that added up round by round.
By the second half, the gap on the scorecards was clear. Munguia continued to pile up punches and control the action, while Resendiz’s offense slowed under the steady output coming his way.
The one-dimensional approach Resendiz used tonight is exactly what allowed Jaime to dictate the terms. When a guy is just looking to land one big shot at a time, a fighter with Jaime’s engine can just reset, pivot, and rack up points while the other guy is still loading up.
Jaime’s movement was smart boxing. By retreating every time Resendiz planted his feet to fire, he essentially neutralized Resendiz’s only weapon.
Munguia looked a level above tonight, and the size difference was glaring. Resendiz has plenty of heart, but was overmatched in terms of size, experience, and talent.
