Boxing analysts are predicting a knockout for undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez against challenger Jaime Munguia this Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) has a chance of winning if he can take it the distance and dominate in a 9-3 or 8-4 fashion.
It’s not easy to defeat the superstar Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs), as we’ve seen in the past with many notable fighters failing to have their hand raised after getting the better of him.
Munguia is less polished than the guys Canelo has been facing, but he’s braver and he has the Bivol-esque style of fighting that could serve him well if he can handle the power of Alvarez.
Canelo is the experienced warrior facing the 27-year-old young lion, Munguia, who is still improving under the guidance of trainer Freddie Roach.
Munguia’s Aggressive Style Could Be His Downfall
“I like Jaime how he fights, but I just think he’s going to walk into a bomb. I think he’s going to have some early success, land some combinations, and then he’s going to walk into some kind of counter-right to the head that is going to spin him around and knock him out,” said Chris Mannix to DAZN Boxing about his prediction of a knockout win for Canelo Alvarez this Saturday night in his title defense against Jaime Munguia.
Unfortunately for Munguia, he has no choice but to fight aggressively because he doesn’t possess the boxing skills to outbox Canelo. So he’s got no option but to try and use his volume punching to outwork Canelo to earn a win.
Even then, Munguia may not get the victory because he’s facing arguably the most popular fighter in the sport or at least in the U.S.
“I think this is going to be one of the biggest knockouts we’ve seen from Canelo Alvarez,” said Mannix.”I think if this goes to the scorecards, Jaime Munguia wins.
“If you look at the work rate, Jaime Munguia’s work rate is exceptional. Munguia, I don’t believe, is going to be the kind of opponent that backs away from Canelo and fights differently because I don’t think he knows how.
I think he only has one speed, and that’s 100 mph straightforward,” said Mannix.
Munguia can box a little, as we saw in his wins over Gabriel Rosado and Sergiy Derevyanchenko, but he mostly depends on slugging with his opponents to win his fights. A power puncher like Canelo will be a nightmare for Munguia.
Lack of Defense Could Doom Munguia
“If you don’t have a jab and you don’t have footwork, you’re not going to beat Canelo. That’s proven,” said Sergio Mora. “Dmitry Bivol jab with brilliant footwork, Erislandy Lara, and Austin Trout, who didn’t beat Canelo but gave him issues. Floyd Mayweather, of course. Jab, brilliant footwork, and fight IQ. That’s not describing Jaime Munguia. Canelo by knockout.”
