By Norm Frauenheim –
PHOENIX – Jaime Munguia stepped off the scale, the Mexican flag behind him and Mexican fans in front of him. He waved at his mom. He heard the cheers. Acknowledged the chants.
It was a moment that almost looked as if it had been rehearsed. In some ways, it had been. It was a mock weigh-in, a ceremonial replica of what had happened at the real weigh-in for the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission Friday morning.
The afternoon version at Footprint Center was strictly for show, a show that belonged to Munguia, an emerging fighter who promoter Oscar De La Hoya says is poised to become the new face of Mexican boxing.
“This is my year,’’ Munguia said.
A stone-faced John Ryder, tough in the ring and tougher to read outside of it, might have something to say about that.
An upset? Would it surprise you? It was a question asked more for the crowd that was there, and is expected to be there in even bigger numbers for the main event’s opening bell on a DAZN-streamed card Saturday (8 p.m. ET/6 p.m.) That crowd would be shocked.
Ryder?
“No, I wouldn’t be,’’ he said. “That’s the plan, isn’t it?’’
The betting odds, about 3-to-1 for Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs), suggest that Ryder’s plan hasn’t got much of a chance.
The 27-year-old Munguia has the fresh-faced look of a kid. He’s about seven years younger than the bearded Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs), a 35-year-old UK fighter whose scars are either a sign of erosion or the mark of a hardened combat veteran’s knowhow.
The guess – and that’s all it is – is that Munguia has the energy that comes with youth. But Ryder has experience, including 12 punishing rounds against Canelo Alvarez in front 51,000 Canelo partisans in Guadalajara.
Ryder got a scorecard loss and a broken nose. But he left Canelo with a face swollen and marked up, leaving an unmistakable message that Ryder – a survivor — figures to be there, a stubborn test to Munguia’s aspirations.
On Friday, at least, there wasn’t an ounce of difference between them. On the scale, they were identical, 167.8 pounds each.
Munguia’s corner envisions a knockout. De La Hoya hopes Munguia can do what Canelo couldn’t. A knockout of Ryder, De La Hoya says, would be a statement that says Munguia deserves a chance to fight Canelo, perhaps in May.
Munguia’s skillset and discipline are enough to pull off the stoppage, says his new trainer, Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, who replaces Tijuana legend Erik Morales.
After Roach’s many years of watching and working with great fighters at Los Angeles’ Wild Card Gym, he looks at Munguia and sees some of Hall-of-Famer Virgil Hill, one of the great light-heavyweights who was known for resilience and a tireless work ethic.
“Jaime works as hard as anybody,’’ said Roach, who foresees Munguia winning an eighth-round stoppage. “In this training camp, he took only one day off.’’
He did, Roach said, only because his family was celebrating the birth of a baby.
That disciplined regimen could counter Ryder’s dogged nature in a way that produces a gritty classic.
“Ryder always goes forward,’’ said Fernando Beltran, Munguia’s promoter/manager. “Jaime Munguia doesn’t know how to go backwards.’’
That’s a collision, if not a classic.
Will it make a difference in terms of what Canelo does next? On Friday, there was no answer to that. Just more speculation. Jermall Charlo has been mentioned as a Canelo possibility There’s still talk about pound-for-pound No. 1 and undisputed welterweight champ Terence Crawford in a catchweight against Canelo.
And, above all, there’s David Benavidez, a Phoenix-born fighter who first began boxing at a gym, Central, just a few blocks from the Footprint Center. Benavidez is expected to be at ringside. He’s unbeaten and a two-time ex-champ at super-middle. He’s also designated as the World Boxing Council’s mandatory challenger for the WBC piece of Canelo’s undisputed crown.
In specific terms of when or even how Benavidez’ mandatory designation turns into a real fight is still open to a lot of speculation.
Does mandatory mean much?
“Not really, especially if you’re Canelo Alvarez,’’ said Eddie Hearn who has promoted Canelo and is in Phoenix in behalf of Ryder.
It was a wry, spot-on comment from the Matchroom promoter. Canelo’s pay-per-view numbers come with some perks. To wit: He gets what he wants.
Maybe, he’ll see something he wants in Munguia-Ryder. From his perspective, it’s a must-see fight. Maybe even mandatory.
