Jaime Munguia is far from the colorful sort. He doesn’t boast. He doesn’t make excuses. He doesn’t tear down his opponents. All he does is win.
The 24-year-old Mexican burst on the scene by demolishing Sadam Ali in four rounds to win a major 154-pound title in May 2018 and successfully defended five times before moving up to 160, building a reputation as a physically imposing young fighter in the process.
In one of those defenses, against Dennis Hogan in April of last year, Munguia (35-0, 28 KOs) won a majority decision but struggled to do so in Monterrey, Mexico. Some thought Munguia benefited from home cooking on the scorecards.
Is he vulnerable?
His next opponent thinks so. Tureano Johnson, who Munguia is scheduled to face on Oct. 30 at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, Calif., left little doubt about his assessment of his young opponent when speaking to Boxing Junkie recently.
“Is he overrated? 100 percent,” said Johnson, pointing to the Hogan fight as evidence.
Munguia was asked about the Hogan fight and didn’t try to come up with “reasons” for what happened.
“I think you’re right,” he told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “It was a bad night. No excuses. We’ll just keep working, won’t give up. But we keep getting better.”
And did he take advantage of the opportunity to hit back at Johnson? Nah. That’s not who he is.
“I respect him as a great fighter,” Munguia said. “He has a lot of experience, in the amateurs – in the Olympics – and as a pro. I respect him. We’re going to be ready.”
Munguia was pressed on one potential factor in the Hogan fight, his second to last at 154: weight.
The body of the Tijuana native obviously is still maturing, meaning he was going to grow out of the junior middleweight division at some point. And, indeed, he acknowledged that making weight had become a chore.
Munguia said that under former trainer Robert Alcazar he would go directly into a sauna after his workouts and even trained next to a portable heater in an effort to keep his weight down. It was time to move up.
He made his middleweight debut against Gary O’Sullivan this past January, his second fight with new trainer and fellow Tijuana resident Erik Morales. He won by an 11th-round stoppage.
“I was working too hard to make 154. I didn’t see another option other than moving up in weight,” he said.
Munguia said the O’Sullivan fight was a gateway into a new division, an opportunity to see how he felt before and during the fight in this new territory. He said he felt good. And he expects to feel even better on Oct. 30.
Johnson (21-2-1, 15 KOs) could be a significant test. The native of the Bahamas came up short in his two biggest fights, losing by knockout to both Curtis Stevens and more recently against Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
However, he’s coming off an impressive ninth-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Jason Quigley in July of last year. He appears to be sharp at 36 years old.
Munguia is taking nothing for granted.
Let’s go back to his break-through victory over Ali. The then-21-year-old – a kid by boxing’s standards – celebrated the realization of a childhood dream but quickly went back to work. He wants to become a champion in a second division and gain the popularity of such Mexican heroes as his mentor, Morales.
And he has to beat Johnson to take the next step in that direction.
“Of course, I was happy,” Munguia said of the victory over Ali. “And I knew more things would come because of it. But I didn’t forget that I have to keep working. Now we’re here and we’re still working.”
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