Jaime Munguia made it clear that his focus for the upcoming year is on his individual journey, steering away from the Canelo Alvarez talk. Despite being the WBO's top contender in the super middleweight division, Munguia aims to secure his path to a title shot without resorting to clout-chasing tactics.
The first significant step on this journey is a pivotal clash against England's John Ryder, scheduled for January 27 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of a DAZN show. Munguia expressed his commitment to earning his place in the spotlight.
“We will continue to fight to earn the right to get those big fights,” said Munguia during a media day in Los Angeles. “We are very excited to have a big 2024. We look forward to facing John Ryder. After that, we look forward to the big fights and become a two-division champion.”
While Munguia recognizes that the road to greatness eventually leads through Canelo Alvarez, he currently holds the WBO's top contender spot but has not been named the mandatory challenger. Golden Boy Promotions has been advised to keep Munguia active, ensuring he doesn't merely sit on a ranking.
Oscar De La Hoya, founder and chairman of Golden Boy Promotions, mentioned Alvarez's name during the press conference, given that Canelo defeated Ryder last May. Munguia's upcoming performance will inevitably be compared to Canelo's victory, despite the different circumstances of each fight.
Acknowledging the comparisons, Munguia is prepared to face scrutiny, having encountered similar feedback in his 2023 Fight of the Year-level decision win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Munguia, showing resilience and skill, aims to build on that momentum, starting with the fight against Ryder.
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