Jaime Munguia understands the reason that countryman Gilbert ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez would love to next face Dmitry Bivol.
The pursuit of a second divisional title—Bivol holds the WBA lightweight belt—is appealing to the unbeaten former super middleweight titlist. More so for Ramirez, however, is the desire to avenge a defeat suffered by Mexican countryman Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez who dropped a twelve-round decision to Bivol on May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Tijuana’s Munguia won’t go as far as to say he’d like to follow suit if Gennadiy Golovkin were to beat Alvarez in their trilogy clash on September 17, also very likely at T-Mobile, simply because he doesn’t envision it happening.
“I did feel sad because I never like to see another Mexican fighter lose,” Munguia admitted to BoxingScene.com. “I can definitely sympathize with Zurdo’s sentiment that he wants to restore honor.
“For Gennadiy, I would love to fight him but I don’t believe that he will beat Canelo. So, it won’t be avenging a loss for Mexico if he and I were to fight. Canelo is very experienced at super middleweight. I don’t believe that Gennadiy can beat him now and at 168.”
Munguia moves up in weight for just one night when he faces Jimmy ‘Kilrain’ Kelly this Saturday on DAZN (8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT) from Honda Center in Anaheim.
Golovkin (42-1-1, 37KOs) has remained a target for Munguia (39-0, 31KOs) for more than four years. Unbeaten and the unified WBA/WBC/IBF middleweight titlist at the time, Golovkin was without an opponent once Alvarez was pulled from their May 2018 rematch after testing positive for clenbuterol. Munguia was still one fight away from his first major title when he offered to step in on short notice, to which Golovkin was receptive but with the idea shut down by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
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Munguia went on to win the WBO junior middleweight title in his next fight, crushing Sadam Ali inside of four rounds in May 2018. Five defenses followed—all coming in a 14-month stretch from July 2018-September 2019—before setting his sights on the middleweight division, where he has won five straight.
Another win is expected of the 25-year-old, as is a return to the 160-pound division, where can easily envision challenging Golovkin for his WBA/IBF belts.
“I do believe that Gennadiy will drop back down to middleweight after he loses the Canelo fight,” suggested Munguia. “He has two titles at this weight and I’ve always wanted to fight him. I can see that being a very big opportunity for me. That can be a great fight on DAZN if we are able to make that happen.”
