Jaime Munguia stopped Tureano Johnson as a result of a cut after Round 6 Saturday in Indio, Calif.
Saved by a cut?
Jaime Munguia was in the battle of his life against Tureano Johnson when the fight was stopped after Round 6 because of a gruesome cut on Johnson’s upper lip Friday night in Indio, Calif.
Munguia, fighting for the second time as a middleweight, was a significant favorite going into the fight but his veteran opponent made it clear from the opening bell that the 24-year-old Mexican would have his hands full.
Johnson’s strategy wasn’t complicated: pressure, pressure, pressure. The 36-year-old Bahamian attacked Munguia immediately, fighting chest to chest, throwing short, hard punches – particularly an effective chopping right — and smothering Munguia.
The former 154-pound champ adjusted fairly quickly, finding a home for his right uppercut and other power shots or spinning away from Johnson and fighting effectively from the outside.
Still, this was a back and forth fight. Johnson had good moments in every round and so did Munguia, which made the fight difficult to score. Boxing Junkie had it 58-56 for Munguia but the same score for Johnson or even card after six rounds would’ve been reasonable.
The pattern of the fight hadn’t changed significantly in Round 6 when, with about 30 second left, one of those right upper cuts from Munguia snapped Johnson’s head back and split his lip wide open. Referee Raul Caiz Sr. called a timeout with 21 seconds remaining and asked the ring doctor to have a look. Johnson was allowed to finish the round but the fight was stopped after the bell.
Johnson was the victim of bad luck, as he seemed to have a legitimate chance to score the biggest victory of his career only to watch it slip away because of the gash.
The good news for him is that he clearly demonstrated that he can still compete on even terms with a top 160-pounder. He almost certainly isn’t finished as a player in the middleweight division if that’s what he wants.
Meanwhile, you can’t say that Munguia was lucky. He landed a perfect shot that busted up his opponent. You can say that he was fortunate to avoid six more rounds that might’ve been the toughest of his career, with the final result in doubt.
He acknowledged that Johnson gave him all he could handle.
“He surprised me with the pressure from the get go,” Munguia said through a translator. “He wanted to surprise me with those punches. But I adjusted. The uppercuts inside were very important [for me].”
Munguia hadn’t fought since January, when he stopped Gary O’Sullivan in 11 rounds in his debut at 160 pounds. He had been out of the ring for more than nine months.
Now, with another victory under his belt, he wants to get back into the ring within a few months.
“I want another fight in January, then potentially a title fight,” he said. “I’ll wait and see what my promoter Fernando Beltran says what’s next for me. I want any of the 160-pound champions. Any of them would be great for me.”
In a preliminary bout, Rashidi Ellis (23-0, 12 KOs) defeated Alexis Rocha (16-1, 10 KOs) by a unanimous decision in a 12-round welterweight bout. The scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113.
Jaime Munguia stopped Tureano Johnson as a result of a cut after Round 6 Saturday in Indio, Calif.
Saved by a cut?
Jaime Munguia was in the battle of his life against Tureano Johnson when the fight was stopped after Round 6 because of a gruesome cut on Johnson’s upper lip Friday night in Indio, Calif.
Munguia, fighting for the second time as a middleweight, was a significant favorite going into the fight but his veteran opponent made it clear from the opening bell that the 24-year-old Mexican would have his hands full.
Johnson’s strategy wasn’t complicated: pressure, pressure, pressure. The 36-year-old Bahamian attacked Munguia immediately, fighting chest to chest, throwing short, hard punches – particularly an effective chopping right — and smothering Munguia.
The former 154-pound champ adjusted fairly quickly, finding a home for his right uppercut and other power shots or spinning away from Johnson and fighting effectively from the outside.
Still, this was a back and forth fight. Johnson had good moments in every round and so did Munguia, which made the fight difficult to score. Boxing Junkie had it 58-56 for Munguia but the same score for Johnson or even card after six rounds would’ve been reasonable.
The pattern of the fight hadn’t changed significantly in Round 6 when, with about 30 second left, one of those right upper cuts from Munguia snapped Johnson’s head back and split his lip wide open. Referee Raul Caiz Sr. called a timeout with 21 seconds remaining and asked the ring doctor to have a look. Johnson was allowed to finish the round but the fight was stopped after the bell.
Johnson was the victim of bad luck, as he seemed to have a legitimate chance to score the biggest victory of his career only to watch it slip away because of the gash.
The good news for him is that he clearly demonstrated that he can still compete on even terms with a top 160-pounder. He almost certainly isn’t finished as a player in the middleweight division if that’s what he wants.
Meanwhile, you can’t say that Munguia was lucky. He landed a perfect shot that busted up his opponent. You can say that he was fortunate to avoid six more rounds that might’ve been the toughest of his career, with the final result in doubt.
He acknowledged that Johnson gave him all he could handle.
“He surprised me with the pressure from the get go,” Munguia said through a translator. “He wanted to surprise me with those punches. But I adjusted. The uppercuts inside were very important [for me].”
Munguia hadn’t fought since January, when he stopped Gary O’Sullivan in 11 rounds in his debut at 160 pounds. He had been out of the ring for more than nine months.
Now, with another victory under his belt, he wants to get back into the ring within a few months.
“I want another fight in January, then potentially a title fight,” he said. “I’ll wait and see what my promoter Fernando Beltran says what’s next for me. I want any of the 160-pound champions. Any of them would be great for me.”
In a preliminary bout, Rashidi Ellis (23-0, 12 KOs) defeated Alexis Rocha (16-1, 10 KOs) by a unanimous decision in a 12-round welterweight bout. The scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113.
Former junior middleweight champ Jaime Munguia faces Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. ( DAZN), Munguia’s second fight at a middleweight. Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) is coming off an 11th-round knockout of Gary O’Sullivan in January in his debut …
Former junior middleweight champ Jaime Munguia faces Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. (DAZN), Munguia’s second fight at a middleweight.
Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) is coming off an 11th-round knockout of Gary O’Sullivan in January in his debut at 160.
Johnson (21-2-1, 15 KOs) pumped life into his career by knocking out previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year, which means he will have been out of the ring for 15 months.
In this episode of the Ak & Barak Show, DAZN commentators Akin Reyes and Barak Bess preview the Munguia-Johnson fight.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
Former junior middleweight champ Jaime Munguia faces Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. ( DAZN), Munguia’s second fight at a middleweight. Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) is coming off an 11th-round knockout of Gary O’Sullivan in January in his debut …
Former junior middleweight champ Jaime Munguia faces Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. (DAZN), Munguia’s second fight at a middleweight.
Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) is coming off an 11th-round knockout of Gary O’Sullivan in January in his debut at 160.
Johnson (21-2-1, 15 KOs) pumped life into his career by knocking out previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year, which means he will have been out of the ring for 15 months.
In this episode of the Ak & Barak Show, DAZN commentators Akin Reyes and Barak Bess preview the Munguia-Johnson fight.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
Jaime Munguia continues his middleweight journey against Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. (DAZN). Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at 160 pounds for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, stopped …
Jaime Munguia continues his middleweight journey against Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. (DAZN).
Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at 160 pounds for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, stopped Gary O’Sullivan in 11 rounds in his debut at the weight in January.
Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, is a capable boxer-puncher but he has come up short in his biggest fights. He seemed to be finished as an elite fighter after knockout losses to Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko but bounced back to stop previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year.
In this episode of Showdown, DAZN commentator Beto Duran interviews Munguia and Johnson at the same time.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
Jaime Munguia continues his middleweight journey against Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. (DAZN). Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at 160 pounds for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, stopped …
Jaime Munguia continues his middleweight journey against Tureano Johnson on Friday in Indio, Calif. (DAZN).
Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at 160 pounds for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, stopped Gary O’Sullivan in 11 rounds in his debut at the weight in January.
Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, is a capable boxer-puncher but he has come up short in his biggest fights. He seemed to be finished as an elite fighter after knockout losses to Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko but bounced back to stop previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year.
In this episode of Showdown, DAZN commentator Beto Duran interviews Munguia and Johnson at the same time.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
Jaime Munugia, only 24, has made a strong impression so far. The strapping Tijuana, Mexico fighter is an undefeated power puncher who has already won a major 154-pound title and now has his eye on a championship at 160. He fights Tureano Johnson in …
Jaime Munugia, only 24, has made a strong impression so far.
The strapping Tijuana, Mexico fighter is an undefeated power puncher who has already won a major 154-pound title and now has his eye on a championship at 160.
He fights Tureano Johnson in his second middleweight bout on Friday in Indio, Calif. The fight will be streamed on DAZN.
Is Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) the next star from his boxing-crazy country?
In this episode of the Ak & Barak Show, DAZN commentators Akin Reyes and Barak Bess discuss that topic and more.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
Jaime Munugia, only 24, has made a strong impression so far. The strapping Tijuana, Mexico fighter is an undefeated power puncher who has already won a major 154-pound title and now has his eye on a championship at 160. He fights Tureano Johnson in …
Jaime Munugia, only 24, has made a strong impression so far.
The strapping Tijuana, Mexico fighter is an undefeated power puncher who has already won a major 154-pound title and now has his eye on a championship at 160.
He fights Tureano Johnson in his second middleweight bout on Friday in Indio, Calif. The fight will be streamed on DAZN.
Is Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) the next star from his boxing-crazy country?
In this episode of the Ak & Barak Show, DAZN commentators Akin Reyes and Barak Bess discuss that topic and more.
Here’s what they had to say.
The Ak & Barak Show is available on DAZN and Sirius XM Fight Nation, Channel 156.
The title fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz on pay-per-view highlights a busy weekend of boxing.
FIGHT WEEK
A look at the coming week in capsules
***
JAIME MUNGUIA (35-0, 28 KOs) VS.
TUREANO JOHNSON (21-2-1, 15 KOs)
Jaime Munguia (right against Gary OSullivan) will fight Tureano Johnson on Oct. 30. Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions
When: Friday, Oct. 30 Where: Fantasy Springs, Indio, Calif. TV: DAZN Division: Middleweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: None Odds: NA Also on the card: Rashidi Ellis vs. Alexis Rocha, welterweights; Marlen Esparza vs. Sulem Urbina, flyweights Prediction: Munguia KO 8 Background: Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at middleweight for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, is physically strong and has unusual punching power but is still developing as a boxer. He sensationally stopped Sadam Ali to win his 154-pound title in May 2018 but struggled to outpoint Dennis Hogan about a year later and seemed vulnerable against Gary O’Sullivan in his 160-pound debut in January, although he won by 11th-round knockout. The jury is still out on him. Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, is a capable boxer-puncher but he has come up short in his biggest fights. He lost by KO to both Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko and seemed destined to permanent second-tier status. However, he pumped life into his career by stopped previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year. That victory earned him this shot at Munguia. If the native of the Bahamas can win on Friday, he could find himself in a 160-pound title fight in the near future. Of course, that’s a big if.
***
GERVONTA DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs) VS.
LEO SANTA CRUZ (37-1-1, 19)
Leo Santa Cruz (right) will face the biggest challenge of his career against Gervonta Davis. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
When: Oct. 31 Where: Alamodome, San Antonio TV: Pay-per-view Division: Junior lightweight and lightweight At stake: Santa Cruz’s 130-pound and Davis’ secondary 135-pound titles Pound-for-poundranking: Santa Cruz Honorable Mention Odds: Davis 3½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Regis Prograis vs. Juan Heraldez, junior welterweights; Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl, junior welterweights; Diego Magdaleno vs. Issac Cruz Gonzalez, lightweights. Prediction: Davis KO 9 Background: Davis and Santa Cruz are making their debuts as pay-per-view headliners. “Tank” has been largely untouchable in his seven-plus-year career, as his record indicates. He didn’t look great in his last fight, against veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa last December, but he still built a big lead on the cards and scored a 12th-round knockout. His biggest enemy has been his dedication to training. However, after moving his camp to Floyd Mayweather’s gym in Las Vegas, he seems to be more focused than ever. That will have been necessary to make the agreed-upon 130-pound limit for the fight. Santa Cruz could be Davis’ toughest challenge. The four-division titleholder also has been a consistent winner. He avenged the only loss of his career, outpointing Carl Frampton in their rematch. Santa Cruz’s Achilles’ heel in this fight could be his natural size. He fought at featherweight only two fights ago yet will be facing a big junior lightweight with uncommon punching power. “El Terremoto” looked so-so in his title-winning fight against Miguel Flores last November but battled flu symptoms during training. Should be fun.
***
NAOYA INOUE (19-0, 16 KOs) VS.
JASON MOLONEY (21-1, 18 KOs)
Naoya Inoue (left) will face a solid test when he stakes on Jason Moloney. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP via Getty Images
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas TV: ESPN Division: Bantamweights At stake: Inoue’s IBF and WBA titles Pound-for-poundranking: Inoue No. 3 Odds: Inoue 9-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, junior lightweights (for Brodnicka’s title) Prediction: Inoue KO 4 Background: Inoue, a three-division titleholder, has steamrolled his way to the pinnacle of the sport with uncommon natural gifts – speed, power, IQ – and the seasoning to make full use of them. His most-recent opponent, Nonito Donaire, seemed to expose vulnerabilities in the Japanese star but Inoue had to fight through a broken bone in his face and still emerged with a clear decision victory last November in Japan. Inoue, hoping to make his mark in the United States, will be fighting there for the second time in his career. He stopped Antonio Nieves in six rounds in 2017 in California. Moloney, a well-schooled boxer from Australia, will have his work cut out but he can’t be written off. He has the tools to give anyone problems and, as a former junior featherweight, is naturally bigger than Inoue. Also, he’s coming off an impressive seventh-round knockout of capable Leonardo Baez on June 25 inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” That means he will have been active more recently than Inoue and is more familiar with the venue.
Oleksandr Usyk (right) will take on Derek Chisora in his second heavyweight fight. AP Photo / Kamil Krzaczynski
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: Wembley Arena, London TV: DAZN Division: Heavyweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: Usyk No. 4 Odds: Usyk 5½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Lee Selby vs. George Kambosos Jr., lightweights; Tommy McCarthy vs. Bilal Laggoune, cruiserweights (for vacant European title) Prediction: Usyk UD Background: Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, will be fighting at heavyweight for the second time. He looked comfortable in a seventh-round knockout of Chazz Witherspoon in his debut at the weight in October of last year, meaning he will have been out of the ring for 12 months. Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO title. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed 215 pounds for the Witherspoon fight, more than 45 less than Chisora (260¼) weighed when he stopped David Price in four rounds in October of last year. Chisora, 36, has been a contender for a decade. The Londoner lost a wide decision to Vitali Klitschko in his only title shot back in 2012. He’s a solid all-around heavyweight who has come up short – sometimes barely – in his biggest fights. He has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped by Dillian Whyte in 11 rounds in December 2018. Usyk is clearly a better boxer in this fight but Chisora will be bigger and stronger. We’ll learn a lot about Usyk’s future at heavyweight on Saturday.
The title fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz on pay-per-view highlights a busy weekend of boxing.
FIGHT WEEK
A look at the coming week in capsules
***
JAIME MUNGUIA (35-0, 28 KOs) VS.
TUREANO JOHNSON (21-2-1, 15 KOs)
Jaime Munguia (right against Gary OSullivan) will fight Tureano Johnson on Oct. 30. Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions
When: Friday, Oct. 30 Where: Fantasy Springs, Indio, Calif. TV: DAZN Division: Middleweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: None Odds: NA Also on the card: Rashidi Ellis vs. Alexis Rocha, welterweights; Marlen Esparza vs. Sulem Urbina, flyweights Prediction: Munguia KO 8 Background: Munguia, a former junior middleweight titleholder, will be fighting at middleweight for the second time. The Mexican slugger, only 24, is physically strong and has unusual punching power but is still developing as a boxer. He sensationally stopped Sadam Ali to win his 154-pound title in May 2018 but struggled to outpoint Dennis Hogan about a year later and seemed vulnerable against Gary O’Sullivan in his 160-pound debut in January, although he won by 11th-round knockout. The jury is still out on him. Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, is a capable boxer-puncher but he has come up short in his biggest fights. He lost by KO to both Curtis Stevens and Sergiy Derevyanchenko and seemed destined to permanent second-tier status. However, he pumped life into his career by stopped previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in nine rounds in July of last year. That victory earned him this shot at Munguia. If the native of the Bahamas can win on Friday, he could find himself in a 160-pound title fight in the near future. Of course, that’s a big if.
***
GERVONTA DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs) VS.
LEO SANTA CRUZ (37-1-1, 19)
Leo Santa Cruz (right) will face the biggest challenge of his career against Gervonta Davis. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
When: Oct. 31 Where: Alamodome, San Antonio TV: Pay-per-view Division: Junior lightweight and lightweight At stake: Santa Cruz’s 130-pound and Davis’ secondary 135-pound titles Pound-for-poundranking: Santa Cruz Honorable Mention Odds: Davis 3½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Regis Prograis vs. Juan Heraldez, junior welterweights; Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl, junior welterweights; Diego Magdaleno vs. Issac Cruz Gonzalez, lightweights. Prediction: Davis KO 9 Background: Davis and Santa Cruz are making their debuts as pay-per-view headliners. “Tank” has been largely untouchable in his seven-plus-year career, as his record indicates. He didn’t look great in his last fight, against veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa last December, but he still built a big lead on the cards and scored a 12th-round knockout. His biggest enemy has been his dedication to training. However, after moving his camp to Floyd Mayweather’s gym in Las Vegas, he seems to be more focused than ever. That will have been necessary to make the agreed-upon 130-pound limit for the fight. Santa Cruz could be Davis’ toughest challenge. The four-division titleholder also has been a consistent winner. He avenged the only loss of his career, outpointing Carl Frampton in their rematch. Santa Cruz’s Achilles’ heel in this fight could be his natural size. He fought at featherweight only two fights ago yet will be facing a big junior lightweight with uncommon punching power. “El Terremoto” looked so-so in his title-winning fight against Miguel Flores last November but battled flu symptoms during training. Should be fun.
***
NAOYA INOUE (19-0, 16 KOs) VS.
JASON MOLONEY (21-1, 18 KOs)
Naoya Inoue (left) will face a solid test when he stakes on Jason Moloney. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP via Getty Images
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas TV: ESPN Division: Bantamweights At stake: Inoue’s IBF and WBA titles Pound-for-poundranking: Inoue No. 3 Odds: Inoue 9-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Ewa Brodnicka vs. Mikaela Mayer, junior lightweights (for Brodnicka’s title) Prediction: Inoue KO 4 Background: Inoue, a three-division titleholder, has steamrolled his way to the pinnacle of the sport with uncommon natural gifts – speed, power, IQ – and the seasoning to make full use of them. His most-recent opponent, Nonito Donaire, seemed to expose vulnerabilities in the Japanese star but Inoue had to fight through a broken bone in his face and still emerged with a clear decision victory last November in Japan. Inoue, hoping to make his mark in the United States, will be fighting there for the second time in his career. He stopped Antonio Nieves in six rounds in 2017 in California. Moloney, a well-schooled boxer from Australia, will have his work cut out but he can’t be written off. He has the tools to give anyone problems and, as a former junior featherweight, is naturally bigger than Inoue. Also, he’s coming off an impressive seventh-round knockout of capable Leonardo Baez on June 25 inside the MGM Grand “bubble.” That means he will have been active more recently than Inoue and is more familiar with the venue.
Oleksandr Usyk (right) will take on Derek Chisora in his second heavyweight fight. AP Photo / Kamil Krzaczynski
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 Where: Wembley Arena, London TV: DAZN Division: Heavyweight At stake: Nothing Pound-for-poundranking: Usyk No. 4 Odds: Usyk 5½-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Lee Selby vs. George Kambosos Jr., lightweights; Tommy McCarthy vs. Bilal Laggoune, cruiserweights (for vacant European title) Prediction: Usyk UD Background: Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, will be fighting at heavyweight for the second time. He looked comfortable in a seventh-round knockout of Chazz Witherspoon in his debut at the weight in October of last year, meaning he will have been out of the ring for 12 months. Usyk is the mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua’s WBO title. The 6-foot-3 Ukrainian weighed 215 pounds for the Witherspoon fight, more than 45 less than Chisora (260¼) weighed when he stopped David Price in four rounds in October of last year. Chisora, 36, has been a contender for a decade. The Londoner lost a wide decision to Vitali Klitschko in his only title shot back in 2012. He’s a solid all-around heavyweight who has come up short – sometimes barely – in his biggest fights. He has won three consecutive fights since he was stopped by Dillian Whyte in 11 rounds in December 2018. Usyk is clearly a better boxer in this fight but Chisora will be bigger and stronger. We’ll learn a lot about Usyk’s future at heavyweight on Saturday.
