Canelo Alvarez gives Jaime Munguia rare all-Mexican clash

Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia didn’t need to feign disdain for each other Tuesday afternoon in Beverly Hills. They instead traded compliments and mutual admiration ahead of their super middleweight championship fight.

Unlike most other boxing promotions, the Alvarez-Munguia doesn’t need trash talk to sell the bout. Undisputed super middleweight champion and Mexican icon Alvarez and former champ Munguia have a bigger selling point.

On the eve of Cinco de Mayo, Alvarez is going to grant Munguia a rare Mexican vs. Mexican championship bout. It has been almost seven years since the Guadalajara native gave a countryman a shot. He beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on May 6, 2017, in his last bout against a Mexican.

Thirteen fights later, Alvarez is giving Munguia the opportunity of his career. They will fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video.

‘Great source of pride’ for Canelo Alvarez

“This fight is a great source of pride for me, because it’s all about Mexico,” Alvarez said. “I’m proud to have my country featured this way in front of the whole world. The fans are going to be the biggest winners on May 4, and we invite everyone to what’s gonna be a big party for Mexico.”

It will be the first four-belt undisputed title match between a pair of Mexican fighters. Munguia (43-0) is from Tijuana. Alvarez is 60-2-2 with 39 knockouts. 

“Defending my undisputed title is very important for me,” Alvarez said. “This is all about making history. I want my legacy to be that I made history again and again. That’s what motivates me to keep defending my belts and giving great fights to the fans.”

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Munguia was so respectful Tuesday, he sounded like a fan at times. The 6-foot 27-year-old is young enough to have grown up watching Alvarez, 33, become a Mexican icon while Munguia was barely establishing himself.

“Canelo has always been a source of pride and motivation for me,” Munguia said. “I used to say when I was coming up in the sport that I want to be like him, and now we get a chance to face him and hopefully be where he is soon.”

The Cinco de Mayo and Sept. 16 weekends have become major parts of the boxing calendar in Las Vegas. Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals have traditionally descended on Las Vegas from both sides of the border to watch Mexicans fight on those weekends.

Box office appeal

Alvarez, though, has made it a point to avoid fighting countrymen. He has said repeatedly that he didn’t want to derail any paisano’s career.

Alvarez is the biggest box office draw for Latinos, though. There are arguably a few fighters who could pose greater threats to Alvarez. Mexican American boxer David Benavidez is one of those challengers, but Alvarez hasn’t been willing to give him a chance.

Munguia has taken a different approach. He hasn’t taunted Alvarez. 

“The respect between us is mutual,” Munguia said. “We want to be a source of pride not just for Mexicans in Mexico, but those all around the world who are expecting a great fight. It’s going to be a great Mexican party and I promise a great fight that fans are going to love.”

That type of deference has paid off with a title shot against a legend who has been compared to all-time greats such as Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Salvador Sanchez and  Ruben Olivares.

“Jaime Munguia is a respectful person and a great fighter who’s earned this fight again and again,” Alvarez said. “Everyone will see how great this fight is for Mexico on May 4.”