Fight fans, as well as the two fighters, are braced for a war on Saturday night in Phoenix. Super middleweight warriors Jaime Munguia and John Ryder will collide in what is expected to be a great action fight whoever wins, and already, both men are looking ahead to what a win could earn them.
(Photo credit: Golden Boy Promotions / Cris Esqueda)
Both men want a fight with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, a return fight in the case of Ryder, who showed real heart in taking Canelo the full 12 rounds last time out, the southpaw losing via unanimous decision back in May. While Munguia, 42-0(33), and the younger man by eight years at age 27, also has the option of a return fight with the man he last fought, this being Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who Munguia decisioned in a real firefight back in June.
The big prize both of Saturday’s fighters are hoping for with a win is a fight with Canelo (and of course the big payday that would go right along with it), but there are indeed other good fights out there for the victor. Eddie Hearn, speaking on his Matchroom YouTube channel, said a win for Ryder could earn him a fight with “[David] Benavidez, Caleb Plant, [Jermall] Charlo, [Edgar] Berlanga.”
Ryder, 32-6(18) has gone on record as saying a loss to Munguia could signal the end of his near 14-year pro career. We can expect both the Brit and the Mexican to give their all in Phoenix in just three days’ time.
Hearn is backing his man, of course, and he feels Ryder, with his toughness and due to the confidence he will have got from extending Canelo all the way, can and will get the ‘W’ on Saturday. Meanwhile, Munguia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, who really wants to see his man fight Canelo, who Oscar of course used to promote, has said Munguia “will do what Canelo couldn’t do, and knock out John Ryder.”
It’s possible, but a distance fight looks to be a good bet here. And that’s the pick here – Munguia via close, competitive and thoroughly entertaining decision.