Champion Canelo Alvarez remains El Rey
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Ángel Cantú, Contributor
- May 5, 2024
Canelo Alvarez retains super middleweight title over Jaime Munguia
Like a lion stalking his prey, Mexican legend Canelo Alvarez was patient as he demolished Jaime Munguia. The fight between the fellow countrymen Saturday night was reminiscent of past iconic Mexican brawls at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Initially the fight seemed destined for an upset as Munguia threw successful combinations that sparked an uproar from the sellout crowd. Alvarez wasn’t fazed, though. Canelo let Munguia have his way in the early rounds, but the veteran was too much for the apprentice.
Canelo earned a unanimous decision to remain the undisputed super middleweight champion. Experience and efficiency helped Alvarez hand Munguia (43-1) his first professional defeat. Alvarez (62-2-2) connected with a brutal uppercut in the fourth round as Munguia went to the canvas for the first time in his career.
The counter punch caught an unprotected Munguia in the nose causing blood to fall. That blow sent Munguia to the canvas for the first time in his career.
Canelo praises Munguia
“This win means a lot,” Canelo said afterward. “I’m glad that I gave him this opportunity. Munguia is a great guy and a great champion. He’s gonna have a great career. I’m very proud that the whole world is watching us Mexicans.”
The Guadalajara native slowly showed his dominance. After scuffling in the beginning, Alvarez figured out the young Munguia, 27. Once Canelo scored a knockdown in the fourth round, the veteran champion figured out Munguia and landed blow after blow.
Canelo won the majority of the remaining rounds for the unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112.
“I take my time,” Alvarez said. “That’s why I have a lot of experience. Jaime Munguia is a great fighter. He’s strong and he’s smart. But I take my time. I have 12 rounds to win the fight, and I did. I did really good and I feel proud about it.”
Canelo Alvarez provides teachable moment
Canelo Alvarez threw 127 fewer punches than the Tijuana native, but Alvarez landed 64 more punches than Munguia. The undisputed super middleweight champion out-jabbed Munguia 83 to 74 and landed 151 power punches compared to Munguia’s 96.
For Munguia this was a learning curve. As the match kept slipping away, he showed tremendous heart by not shying away from the future boxing Hall of Famer.
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The 6-foot Munguia showed glimpses of dominance. He won a few of the early rounds. Throughout the bout he tagged Alvarez with his plethora of combinations.
“I came out strong and was winning the early rounds,” Munguia said. “I let my hands go, but he’s a fighter with a lot of experience. The loss hurts because it’s my first loss and I felt strong.”
Munguia is adamant that this fight will serve as a learning experience that will only strengthen his career.
“I will continue to work hard and it was a great experience,” he said in Spanish. “Honestly I started really well, but he started to beat me with his experience.”
Barrios wins co-main event
In the co-main event, Mario Barrios beat Fabian Maidana despite suffering a swollen right eye mid fight. The San Antonio native defeated the younger brother of Marcos Maidana by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the match 116-111.
Barrios threw 446 punches and landed 139 of them to maintain the WBC interim title. The Santa Fe, Argentina, native, only landed 84 out of 323 punches thrown. Barrios knocked down Maidana in the third round with a devastating right hand. Maidana played more defensive, which opened the door for Barrios to throw more punches.
“I knew we came in for a hard 12 rounds,” Barrios said. “Hats off to Maidana, he came out here like a warrior like I thought he would. It’s always these types of fights that you don’t see coming are usually the hardest.”
Although Munguia lost the fight, it was a great night for the Mexican fighters and fans. As Canelo is in the back end of his lustrous career, Munguia is just cementing his.
Ángel Cantú
Contributor
Our Esquina contributor Ángel Cantú is a co-host for the Full Seam Ahead podcast. He joined Teach for America after graduating from Texas A&M University. He is currently a fourth grade teacher at KIPP Public Schools in Houston.
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