Canelo Alvarez made his fourth successful undisputed super middleweight title defense on Saturday night, taking on – and defeating – fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The hype ahead of the contest had risen to astronomical levels following a lively fight week. Canelo was seen clashing with former promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who now represents Munguia.
The fight did not disappoint with both men facing adversity. Ultimately Canelo’s experience trumped his rival’s youth, as the 33-year-old boxed to a unanimous decision victory.
Here, Sam Condy covers analysis of the fight, post-fight reaction and looks at what comes next for both fighters.
Fight breakdown and analysis
Munguia started the fight well, utilizing a snappy jab and appearing to give Canelo some problems in the early rounds. Alvarez continued to walk forward, weathering the storm and landing effectively to the body, but things appeared promising for the challenger.
As the fight continued, the champion rose to the occasion. Entering the fourth, the two Mexicans were inseparable. Things quickly changed with Alvarez landing a punishing left hook-right uppercut combination, sending the challenger to the canvas for the first time in his career.
The remainder of the fight was convincingly one-sided. Munguia showed heart, continuing to come forward and trying to take the fight to his veteran counterpart. However, the undisputed star proved too elusive for the young prospect.
The 27-year-old survived to the final bell, though the result was already clear. Canelo was awarded the victory, with the judges scoring the fight 117-110, 116-11 and 115-112.
Post-fight reactions
Alvarez seemed content with his performance following his victory. In a post-fight interview, the still undisputed champion revealed Munguia did not present any real challenge in the ring.
“[Munguia] is strong but he is a little slow. I can see every punch. Sometimes he got me because I got so confident, but you know like I say, that’s why I have this kind of experience, that’s why I’m the best,” said Canelo.
Munguia, on the other hand, was just handed his first professional defeat and will have to come to terms with not being the top dog at 168 lbs.
“No doubt, I would have [beaten anyone else tonight],” the super-middleweight stated.
“I started well, but he obviously caused me problems. He’s an experienced fighter. He won, the loss hurts of course.”
Some of the top pros chimed in with their opinions following the showdown.
Pound-for-pound ruler, Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford felt that the fight was all too easy for the PPV phenom, taking to X to relay his thoughts.
“Look like Canelo carried him the whole fight!”
Women’s legend – and the self-proclaimed GWOAT – Claressa Shields, believes Munguia did himself proud.
“Man Munguia fought harder than most of Canelo’s opponents! Good scrap! But the King 👑 still reigns!”
Is Canelo the best boxer on the planet?
Saul Alvarez is certainly one of the most notorious names in combat sports and one of the biggest PPV draws. But is he the best?
Canelo’s win continues to cement his legacy – undoubtedly the Mexican’s name will echo throughout the boxing world long after he eventually hangs up his gloves.
Alvarez is currently rated as the pound-for-pound number four according to the ring. The rankings have not been updated following his win, though he will surely have a strong claim to be in contention for the top spot.
Pound-for-pound rival and current number two Nayoa Inoue may be able to hold Alvarez off from the top spot.
The four-division world champion and two-weight undisputed king demolished Luis Nery on Monday. Despite being knocked down for the first time in his career, ‘The Monster’ bounced back, battering the Mexican challenger and ending the fight in six.
There is no doubt an argument for the 33-year-old to claim the top spot. However, Inoue and current number one Crawford have yet to be faced with any real adversity in their professional careers, making it tough to pry the top two positions from their grasp.
What’s next for Canelo Alvarez?
Canelo had long been linked to a fight for Benavidez. Unfortunately, with Benavidez moving on up to light heavyweight to challenge Oleksandr Gvodzyk, the fight appears to be dead in the water.
Fortunately for fight fans, the seasoned veteran looks set to take on yet another superfight. Saudi Royal Advisor Turki Alalshikh has revealed that Alvarez’s next opponent will be none other than undisputed titan Crawford.
‘Bud’ appears keen to lock horns with the Mexican superstar, stating that the fight makes sense for both men.
“You got two of the top fighters of this decade, not just in the past year or so,” he said.
“You got two fighters that’ve been at the top for 10 years. You got the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world and you got the number one money man. I never like to overlook anybody, I got a fight coming up August third, and that’s where my main focus is at.”
The fight would prove a historic match-up, and could finally end the debate as two who is boxing’s pound-for-pound main man. No official date has been announced and the fight is yet to be confirmed, however, Alalshikh has revealed it will likely take place in December or January.
What’s next for Jaime Munguia?
Oscar De La Hoya seems confident that this is only the beginning for Munguia. Despite the loss, the promoter appears confident that the young Mexican will use his defeat as a learning opportunity.
“I take nothing away from Canelo, I’ve always said he is a good fighter in the ring,” De La Hoya stated.
“But this experience for Jaime will take him to a new level. It’s just like Mayweather and Canelo, same thing. Canelo got schooled then he became the face of boxing, a good fighter.
“Same thing with Munguia, he didn’t get schooled but he gained experience and became a better fighter so this is just the beginning for Jaime.”
There are a lot of options for the former undefeated star to rebuild following the defeat. He could look to rebuild his reputation in a rematch bout with Ukrainian Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
Munguia edged out their 2023 meeting, earning a close unanimous decision win. A rematch between the two would certainly appeal to fans of the Mexican fighter.
There are other opportunities also available. Caleb Plant, David Morrell and Edgar Berlanga would all prove to be valid opponents for the prospect to catapult himself back to the top of the 168lbs standings.
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