Jermell Charlo says new WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs0 is nothing but “hype” in talking about what he saw of him in his recent 4th round knockout of Sadam Ali (26-2, 14 KOs) on May 12.
Without going into detail, Charlo says he saw Munguia making “rookie mistakes” inside the ring against Sadam. Whatever Munguia was doing wrong that displeased Charlo, he got the job done in knocking him down four times in the fight. Munguia should have been given credit for a fifth knockdown after dropping Sadam in the 3rd round, but he referee said it was a slip.
“He’s hype man,” Jermell said to Fighthub about Jaime Munguia. “That dude makes rookie mistakes. I seen that when the bell rung [for Sadam Ali fight]. Ali didn’t even have a size advantage to affect him even with a jab. I’m throwing jabs and dropping body,” Charlo said.
It almost like Jermell isn’t too happy with all the praise that Munguia is getting. I can’t remember when an obscure fighter has gotten so much immediate attention in the boxing world. Munguia could be a star overnight with the way he fights. The guy has incredible power in both hands.
What Munguia did to Sadam Ali wasn’t just because he had a size advantage over him. Those punches that Munguia landed would have done any junior middleweight in, not just Ali. Munguia could be a star much faster than Jermell. He’s more exciting and a lot busier. Jermell tries to set traps before he throws hard shots. Munguia is the opposite. He goes after his opponents in the same way Gennady Golovkin does. Munguia is looking to hurt his opponents with every punch he throws rather setting traps the way Jermell does.
At 21, there isn’t anyone in the 154lb division that looks as good as Munguia. He’s got the Julian Jackson punching power, and he’s only going to get better. Saul Canelo Alvarez was a pretty good fighter when he was 21, but he didn’t have the punching power, size or the stamina that the 6’0” Munguia has.
Canelo is only 5’8”. He’s not build like Munguia, and he doesn’t have the engine that he has. Munguia was punching nonstop for four rounds against Ali, and he didn’t look tired for an instant. Canelo needs lots of rest breaks, because he can’t fight hard without getting tired.
“Little boy, tell him to come see us,” Charlo said about Munguia. “They just won the championship, telling people they want to get all the belts. Let him fight somebody else. I guarantee you that we’re going to see what he’s really made of.”
Munguia was supposed to fight Golovkin on May 5, but the Nevada State Athletic Commission blocked the fight from happening because of the inexperience of Jaime and the fact that he’d never fought at 154. It’s too bad the Nevada Commission nixed the fight, because it would have been interesting.
Charlo knocked out 21-year-old Erickson Lubin in the 1st round last October. Lubin was hurt by the first big shot Charlo landed on him. Munguia seems to have a pretty good chin. If Munguia can take Charlo’s power, it wouldn’t be surprised if he knocked him around the ring like he did with Ali. I would favor Munguia to knockout Lubin. Munguia looks like the better fighter and better suited to the 154 and 160lb divisions. Lubin is like a big welterweight, who doesn’t have the frame to be fighting at 154 against the middleweight-sized champions like Charlo, Munguia and Jarrett Hurd.
WBC junior middleweight champion Charlo (30-0, 15 KOs) is getting ready for his title defense on June 9 against Austin Trout (31-4, 17 kOs) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The fight will be televised on Showtime Championship Boxing. If Charlo wins, there’s a chance that he could be facing IBF/WBA junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd. Those two are supposed to be fighting each other in a unification. It’ll be a huge test for both guys. Hurd is a little more battled tested with his recent wins over Trout and Erislandy Lara.