The response of the champion. Canelo Alvarez, 34 years old, he chases away the shadows of sunset and shows off one of the best performances of an already extraordinary career, remaining world champion of super middleweight. Jaime Munguia, 27 years old and hungry for glory, he proved to be an excellent opponent and the Mexican derby at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was beautiful. The verdict, which left the Guadalajara boxer in possession the absolute title (WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO, a rarity in boxing today), it doesn’t make a difference. One judge gave 117-110 (excessive), the other two had two more balanced cards (116-111 and 115-112).
Canelo and the right uppercut in the fourth round
“I choose the right moment to deliver the blows – explained Canelo after the match -. Munguia is strong and also intelligent, but I had 12 rounds to impose my boxing and I proved that I am the best in the world”. That ‘moment’ , Canelo spotted him in the fourth round. Munguia was loading the shots, working incessantly with the left jab and imposing a frenetic pace. But Alvarez in an instant made the match turn, placing a wonderful right uppercut that sent his opponent to the canvas. Munguia got up immediately, but the story took another turn.
Canelo’s steel jaw
Yet Munguia showed up with an important calling card: 43 victories in as many matches, 34 arriving before the limit. Excellent super welterweight, good middleweight, for the climb to the super middleweight title he only had two chances. Raising the defensive level significantly, working constantly with the jab and above all keeping a high pace trusting in the age difference. The defense, thanks also to the care of maestro Freddie Roach, has improved but not enough. All things considered, the rest worked. The boy from Tijuana may have hit hard in several circumstances, but Canelo’s jaw proved to be steel.
Canelo sweeps away the shadows of decadence
In July the champion will reach the age of 34, which wouldn’t even be that many if he didn’t have to deal with a career that began among professionals when he was just 15. With Munguia he has chased away the ghosts of that decadence that sooner or later arrives everyone. The match lost with Bivol (in his climb up to light heavyweight and against such an opponent he had dared excessively), but also those subsequently won against a dying Golovkin (for many the only truly prerogative of Canelo in the trilogy), with Ryder (taking a few shots too many) and against the impalpable Jermell Charlo. Everyone had left an avalanche of doubts.
The acrimony with De La Hoya
Canelo chased them away not only with the encyclopedic right uppercut in the fourth round, but by managing the various situations of the match like a master and closing in crescendo despite the match having practically no breaks. In the end the champion had nice words for Munguia, the complete opposite of what he did against Oscar De La Hoya, a boxing legend and former promoter who is now alongside Munguia. The two, who once worked together, exchanged verbal blows that culminated in a near-brawl at the press conference. But we know that in American boxing everything is a show.
