Munguia-Ryder: Canelo is still the key to the super-middleweight puzzle

By Norm Frauenheim –

The map is changing. More gloves and heavy bags are tagged for Riyadh than Vegas these days. But one path remains unchanged.

All roads still lead to Canelo Alvarez, or at least the money he still generates.

That continues to be part of the geography in an intriguing super-middleweight fight Jan. 27 between Jamie Munguia and John Ryder on the Suns home floor at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.

A projected date with Canelo is said to be at stake for the emerging Munguia, a middleweight champion who is 1-0 at super-middle with a decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in June.

For Ryder, maybe there’s a possibility at a rematch. He lost a decision to Canelo last May in Guadalajara in what looked to be a Canelo tune-up last May.

“I lost the fight, but I kind of won the night,’’ Ryder told reporters this week of his dogged ability to withstand Canelo’s pursuit of a KO.

Canelo, at least the possibility, was the primary question at a media day staged at the new Golden Boy Boxing Gym in Los Angeles Tuesday.

Munguia didn’t sidestep the question. Neither did Ryder.

“It is the obvious question everybody is asking,’’ said Munguia, a 27-year-old who possesses poise and enough smarts to also know he has to impress against the tough, experienced Ryder.

Munguia promoter of Oscar De La Hoya is talking about a knockout of Ryder. The reasoning is simple. Canelo couldn’t knock out Ryder in his hometown. If Munguia can do what Canelo couldn’t, the thinking is that Munguia will have an argument, a good reason to say he should fight Canelo next.

We’ve heard that one before, of course. We’ve heard it for at least two years from David Benavidez, who figures to be a very big part of the story that unfolds next week in Phoenix.

Munguia-Ryder will happen just a few miles of roadwork from the Phoenix streets where Benavidez grew up and just a couple of blocks from where he began boxing at Central, an old gym that was saved from the wrecking ball by Mike Tyson.

Tyson’s arrival nearly two decades ago brought money and fighters. Central sprung from the ashes, a lot like that mythical bird, the Phoenix logo and namesake. 

It’s no coincidence, perhaps, that Tyson is also Benavidez’ biggest fan. He gave him his current nickname, Monster. It takes one to know one, maybe.

But Benavidez, who lives in Seattle these days, will be an inevitable part of the discussion, if not a crowd that knew him as a kid.

Benavidez is the World Boxing Council’s interim 168-pound champion and its mandatory challenger for the WBC’s piece of Canelo’s undisputed title. But interim and mandatory can mean just about anything, especially when Canelo is in the equation.

He gets what he wants.

Fights who he wants.

A key question, still unanswered, is exactly what Canelo is thinking. We don’t know. Since his solid decision over Jermell Charlo in September, the last anybody has seen of Canelo is on the cover of Forbes magazine. Follow the money.

The decision, perhaps, as to who he’ll fight next will be determined by what he sees in the Munguia-Ryder fight, which will be streamed by DAZN

For months, the conventional thinking is that Canelo will fight in May and again in September. He has two more fights left on a contract signed with PBC (Premier Boxing Champions).

But there’s been no news on PBC’s plans for 2024. Showtime left boxing in December after a 37-year run of telecasts. It was announced then that Amazon Prime had struck a deal with PBC.

Reportedly, the deal would start sometime in March. Thus far, however, there’s been nothing concrete — bouts and dates — from PBC or Amazon Prime.

Maybe, they’re waiting to see what happens in Munguia-Ryder, too.

Munguia promises that they’ll see plenty.

 “I honestly feel like I can knock John Ryder out,’’ Munguia said. “That’s what we are working towards. Obviously, once you step inside the ring anything can change. But we’re training to get inside the ring in optimal condition, and if we can’t get the knockout we will be making sure we get the decision.”

Ryder promises something else.

“Munguia, obviously, is coming to use me as a stepping stone,’’ he told reporters. “I have other plans.’’

Munguia-Ryder Undercard

Strawweight champion Oscar Collazo (8-0, 6 KOs), a 27-year-old Puerto Rican, faces Nicaraguan contender Reyneris Gutierrez (10-1, 2 KOs), Golden Boy announced this week.

“With less than a week away for my second world title defense, I feel great and at my best moment,” said Collazo, who will defend his World Boxing Organization belt for the second time. “As always, we are very prepared and focused on what we are going to do and leave the ring with our hand raised.”

Collazo is promoted by fellow Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, a Hall of Famer and former four-division champion.

Also:

Super middleweight Darius Fulghum (9-0, 9 KOs), of Houston, faces Alantez Fox (28-5-1, 13 KOs), of Upper Marlboro MD, in a 10-rounder.

Women’s flyweight champion Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora (12-0, 5 KOs) of Coachella CA, will make a first title defense against Christina Cruz (6-0, 0 KOs), of Fort Lauderdale Fl. Fundora signed a co-promotional deal with Golden Boy this week.

Mexican junior-featherweight David Picasso Romero (26-0-1, 15 KOs) will face Erik Ruiz (17-9-1, 7 KOs), of Oxnard CA, in a 10-rounder.

Oscar Valdez Jr. comeback

It sounds as if Oscar Valdez Jr.’s comeback might begin where he suffered a crushing loss in his last bout. 15 Rounds has confirmed news – first reported by ESPN – that Valdez, who lost a punishing decision to Emanuel Navarrete at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ on Aug. 12, might be back at the same venue on March 29 against Australian Wilson.

Wilson, who lost a controversial TKO to Navarrete at Desert Diamond last February, is talking as if it’s already a done deal.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Wilson told The Ring Wednesday. “We’re both fighters who like to come forward and love to fight. “We both bring a high intensity, and with him being a Mexican warrior, it’s going to be a war from the opening bell.’’

As of Wednesday, however, Valdez was still under medical suspension for his loss to Navarrete, who left him with a badly-bloodied right eye. The bout also was not listed on the Desert Diamond Arena calendar.

Valdez, a former featherweight and junior-lightweight champion, has strong roots in Arizona. The two-time Mexican Olympian went to school in Tucson. His comeback plans have been evident for weeks. Last month, he posted photos of himself back at work in the gym.