THE RESULT: In front of over 17,000 fans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Canelo Alvarez retains his undisputed super-middleweight title, beating his fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia by unanimous decision. The judges’ scorecards read 117-110 (Tim Cheatham), 116-111 (David Sutherland) and 115-112 (Steve Weisfeld) in the champion’s favour.
KEY MOMENTS: The knockdown in round four. After a positive start by Munguia in the first three frames, Canelo turned the fight around with a crisp left hook and then a short uppercut. Munguia didn’t see it coming and was dropped for the first time in his career.
RECORDS: After 65 fights, Canelo’s record now reads 61-2-2 (39 KOs). Munguia suffered his first loss and now sits at 43-1 (34 KOs).
TALKING POINT: The elephant in the room – David Benavidez. You have to wonder how well he would have fared against Canelo with his own attributes and destructive skillset.
QUOTABLE: “It means a lot. Jaime is a great guy, a great champion, he will continue to do good. I feel very proud to represent Mexico,” Canelo said afterwards.
After the knockdown, the champion expressed, “I prefer to be patient. Jaime Munguia is an exceptional fighter; he possesses strength and intelligence. I have a total of 12 rounds to secure victory in this bout.”
Canelo expressed, “He possesses strength, but lacks speed as I can anticipate each of his punches. This is why I confidently claim to be the best. Currently, I am undoubtedly the top fighter in the ring.”
When questioned about the prospect of facing David Benavidez, Canelo responded by saying, “If the financial offer is satisfactory, I am prepared to fight him immediately. I couldn’t care less about what others are demanding. At this moment, I have the freedom to ask for anything I desire and make my own choices.”
Munguia expressed his sadness, stating, “I came out strong and believe I was leading in some rounds initially. I was not afraid to throw punches. However, he is a seasoned fighter, and the defeat is painful for me.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Canelo will continue to take the fights that make most sense for him and the most money. Edgar Berlanga is the frontrunner to face him in September. Munguia can come again and on his day can beat most contenders but even after 44 fights there is still a rawness to him that can be exploited, as proven tonight.
