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“He’ll Be In for a Rude Awakening”: Mayweather Promotions CEO Predicts Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia

Published 04/29/2024, 7:54 AM EDT

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The number of summers he has spent boxing has bestowed, it seems, on Leonard Ellerbe an uncanny ability. When it comes to a match, he knows the direction in which the wind will blow. An outcome of the time spent with one of the greatest boxers in history? Could be. Even when it comes to a match where he may not be directly involved, the venerable CEO of Mayweather Promotions can foresee its eventual destination.

Come Saturday night, Canelo Alvarez will commence the year’s campaign against fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia. Undoubtedly, the undisputed super middleweight champion remains a clear favorite to win the title defense. However, a few won’t mind giving the benefit of the doubt to the Tijuana-born former light middleweight champion. But Leonard Ellerbe won’t jump on that risk. As it appears, the Mayweather Promotions head honcho has already smelled blood.

Canelo Alvarez versus Jaime Munguia: Culminating in Severe Circumstances

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That’s why, pulling no punches, he stated that Canelo Alvarez would end the match on May 4, in the most brutal fashion, when Sean Zittel asked him for his thoughts on the match. “Uh, Canelo’s going to knock him out, yeah, in brutal fashion. Brutal,” said Ellerbe. Zittel then inquired whether the end would come via a head or a body shot. The Mayweather Promotions CEO responded that he envisaged a hit on the body to close the deal.

 

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He added that he had gone through a few videos of Jaime Munguia. So even though the young boxer might be the bigger guy, Ellerbe can clearly make out what’s written on the wall. Even Freddie Roach‘s intervention can barely stop the inevitable.

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Zittel mentioned the discussion he had with David Benavidez on the fight. It seems ‘The Mexican Monster’ came up with some sound suggestions that could help Munguia thwart the super middleweight champion’s attack.

Experience in Top-Tier Competition Crucial: Leonard Ellerbe

According to ‘The Mexican Monster’, though, Canelo Alvarez will not have an easy joyride at the T-Mobile Arena. Jaime Munguia is a powerful boxer who thrives on combination punching. So it is imperative that the former light middleweight champion keep his distance from the undisputed king. Otherwise, he will end up in the firing range of the latter’s piercing body shots. But even Benavidez believed that it’s going to be a Canelo Alvarez win.

Leonard Ellerbe still sounded a bit skeptical. “It’s not as easy as it sounds,” he said, spilling out the reason, “because Canelo has a low center of gravity, he knows how to get underneath shots, he knows how to step around shots, he knows how to set shots up. His IQ is off the charts.

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According to the Mayweather Promotions head, Jaime Munguia has considerable experience fighting. However, he considerably lacks exposure when it comes to fighting in ‘high-level competition’. “So he’ll be in for a rude awakening when he steps in there; it’s not like he’s looking at John Ryder or somebody else again.

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Maybe, given the number of years he has spent fighting at the top level, Canelo Alvarez has a clear advantage over Jaime Munguia. However, it will be too early to rule out a boxer who, in a way, ended the career of someone who gave Alvarez a tough fight, taking him the whole distance last year. Fans will now eagerly watch out to see whether Leonard Ellerbe’s prediction comes true or not.

Do you agree with Ellerbe’s review of the Alvarez-Munguia fight? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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Written by:

Jaideep R Unnithan

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One take at a time

Jaideep Unnithan is a senior boxing author at EssentiallySports. Inching towards the milestone of over 2000 articles, he has been a chronicler of day-to-day developments happening inside and outside of the squared circle. Having a keen eye on the punches traded inside the ring, he has written opinion pieces on the fighting styles of Floyd Mayweather Jr, David Benavidez, and Terence Crawford.
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Edited by:

Gokul Pillai