Canelo Alvarez will look to make his fourth consecutive defense of his undisputed super middleweight world championship Saturday night, when he clashes with Jaime Munguia.
Although Munguia has been in 43 pro fights, none of them comes close to the magnitude of challenging the boxing legend for his undisputed crown in a Mexico vs. Mexico mega bout.
That being said, with the stakes ultra high, DAZN lists the keys to victory for Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) and Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) ahead of their showdown in Las Vegas.
Jaime Munguia's keys to victory
Keep a smart, safe distance
Although Munguia can often take some time to get his motor running, once he does rev up, he seems to click on all cylinders.
Keeping a smart, safe distance from Canelo — and not being goaded into the phone booth — could prove vital for Munguia if he is to score the upset.
For starters, it would allow Munguia to pressure Alvarez behind punch variety, not to mention it’d prevent the undisputed super middleweight champion from banging the body — something that Munguia needs to desperately avoid.
Turn the volume up with combinations
Once Munguia can assert his jab from the outside within an established distance, he can look to piece together combinations by turning his punch volume way up.
Doing so could go long ways toward frustrating an older Alvarez as Dmitry Bivol did en route to a unanimous decision over the boxing legend back in May 2022.
Connecting on unrelenting combinations, using his angles and power, would be a driving force if Munguia has his hand raised by the end of the night.
Stay composed, don’t get overzealous
Simply put — this is the biggest fight of Munguia’s career.
The fact that Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight crown is on the line spells enough of an opportunity.
That Canelo is a Mexican boxing legend and Munguia is the younger Mexican fighter trying to fight his own greatness into existence makes May 4 all the more of a moment for the 27-year-old.
What he’s already giving up in mega fight experience to Canelo, Munguia doesn’t have to surrender in fervor.
Munguia cannot afford to be a prisoner of the moment. He’s got to stay composed and not get overzealous because any miscalculated over aggression could be the recipe for doom at the hands of an expert counterpuncher like Canelo.
Canelo Alvarez's keys to victory
Pressure Munguia early
Munguia can be a slow starter so pressuring him over the early rounds can bode well for Canelo.
This is, by far, the biggest bout of Munguia’s career and nerves might be a factor for him in Las Vegas and before a worldwide pay-per-view platform.
Canelo checking his temperature immediately and seeing if he has the resolve to weather a storm early could be vital for the undisputed king of 168 pounds.
Get inside, rip the body
If Canelo gets in the phone booth with you, chances are he’s going to uncork ferocious shots to the body.
His ability to get inside on Munguia and make those deposits to the body could be huge as they could help lower the latter’s punch volume and possibly his hands just enough for Alvarez to connect with something impactful upstairs.
Look for the opportune, fight-changing counterpunch
The older Canelo gets, the more savvy he becomes in the ring. With patience and his ability to download information in real time, Alvarez can analyze and measure Munguia’s punch variety and pick the opportune time to unleash a fight-changing counterpunch.
That counterpunch could come in traffic if Munguia gets overzealous or isn’t careful in the pocket.
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