Reflection On Jaime Munguia
On June 10, Jaime Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs) had one of the toughest fights of his career against Sergiy Derevyanchenko (14-5, KOs). Stunned a number of times during the bout, he rallied to score a knockdown in the final round and win with scores of 114-113 (2x) and 115-112.
DOWN GOES DEREVYANCHENKO!!#MunguiaDerevyanchenko | LIVE on DAZN pic.twitter.com/UyjIJ5KVn8
— Golden Boy (@GoldenBoyBoxing) June 11, 2023
It was a much needed fight for Munguia’s development and one where fans learnt a lot about the kind of fighter he is. Seven of his last eight bouts ended in stoppages. Gabriel Rosado, the one fighter who went the distance in that span, still lost by a wide unanimous decision. It is about time Munguia face more competitive opposition, just like he did on Saturday against Derevyanchenko. Such fights will only benefit him in the long run.
Munguia’s opposition
It is easy to forget that Munguia is only 26 years old. Five years ago, he entered the spotlight when he stopped Sadam Ali to become the WBO super welterweight champion. Only two months later, he successfully defended the title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Liam Smith. Since then, his best opponents have been the likes of Rosado, Dennis Hogan, and Kamil Szeremeta. For a fighter who first entered the spotlight five years ago, it is only reasonable for fans to expect better. The opposition is there for Munguia to face, but it continues to feel as though he is being steered away from them. He is a young, entertaining fighter and boxing fans simply want him to test himself against the best boxers out there.
Hear Dan Rafael and T.J. Rives recap Munguia’s dramatic decision win and discuss what they think is next for him on the “Fight Freaks Unite Recap” podcast by clicking play below,
Going forward
The Derevyanchenko fight was a step in the right direction. It paired Munguia with a recognizable, talented fighter who challenged him thoroughly. We learnt that he can overcome challenges in fights and is willing to dig deep to get the win. Munguia is also fun to watch. Fight fans in the future will look back on this clash when discussing his career. These are the kinds of fights fans want to see Munguia in. Hopefully, those are the fights we see from now on.
Currently writing out of Toronto, Canada, Saadeq first became a boxing fan while living in Doha, Qatar. Looking to become more involved in the sport, he began writing about boxing and has had work published in outlets such as Seconds Out and Boxing Social. He looks forward to continue covering boxing on Big Fight Weekend.
