Jaime Munguia (37-0, 30 KOs) impressed the crowd in El Paso, Texas in an exciting victory against Kamil Szeremeta (21-2, 5 KOs). From the get-go Munguia was hunting for that devastating uppercut followed by a liver shot, which has quickly become his favorite method of destabilizing his opponents. In the past, when Munguia has thrown uppercuts, they’ve lacked the necessary built-in defense to protect him from possible counters. But tonight, Munguia looked slightly more disciplined and slicker in his movements and punches. The 24-year-old Mexican is improving and having a lot to show for it.
Combinations were connecting all night for Munguia, who rarely gave Szeremeta time to readjust. In the fourth round Munguia showcased an excellent display of head movement, which is a great improvement from his previous fights in which he’d struggle to keep his head off the center. Still, Munguia has a way to go in terms of defense, as he often leaves himself open to counters and at times prefers to brawl than box. It certainly adds to his entertainment factor, but it takes away from a more well-rounded and disciplined look.
But against Szeremeta, it’s obvious that the adjustments Munguia and his team have been working on refined his style, as he utilized his jab more and showed better head movement. As soon as he tightens up his defense more intently and expresses a better understanding of distance, Munguia will be a problem for anyone in the Middleweight division. One possible opponent for Munguia is Gabe Rosado, the fan-favorite veteran who called out Munguia after his victory in the co-main event against Bektemir Melikuziev. This is an event that would attract a lot of attention and have the potential to be a fight of the year candidate. Both fighters are known to never shy away from brawling, making it a guarantee that we will get an action-packed fight. Seeing as Munguia seems to be polishing up his skills and Rosado keeps showing the world that his boxing IQ is deserving of recognition, it may be a fight that’s more than just blood and guts.
