During fight week, Canelo Alvarez repeatedly emphasized his distinctiveness and asserted his superiority over his aggressive, undefeated Mexican compatriot Jaime Munguia.
Ultimately, he proved himself correct.
Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) defended his undisputed super middleweight title with a masterful yet grueling unanimous decision victory on Saturday, handing Munguia (43-1) his first professional defeat. The 33-year-old Mexican icon secured judges' scores of 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112, while CBS Sports scored it 118-109 in favor of Alvarez.
The bout headlined a Cinco de Mayo weekend event at T-Mobile Arena, marking Alvarez's first matchup against another Mexican-born opponent since his dominant performance against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2017.
Despite Munguia, a 27-year-old from Tijuana trained by Hall-of-Famer Freddie Roach, starting strong, Alvarez rallied and floored him with a stunning right uppercut in Round 4, just as Munguia was gaining momentum. The remainder of the fight saw intense exchanges, but Alvarez's speed and precision with counter shots ultimately made the decisive impact.
"This victory means a lot to me. I want to thank Jaime for the opportunity," Alvarez remarked. "He's a great person and a great champion who will continue to excel. It was an honor to have the eyes of the world, especially Mexico, on us tonight. Viva Mexico!"
The Mexican fans in attendance were divided, alternating chants for both fighters. However, Alvarez momentarily turned cheers into boos during his post-fight interview when asked about a potential showdown with unbeaten two-time champion David Benavidez, who was ringside.
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