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The last few weeks saw Oscar De La Hoya literally walking on thin ice. With Ryan Garcia switching over from one potential opponent to another, the former champion-turned-promoter may have had his hands full. Thankfully, a silver lining seems to have made its way through. Tomorrow, undefeated super middleweight Jaime Munguia will fight John Ryder.

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Everyone expects the Mexican boxer to sail through the test at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. It’s a different fact that the latter took Canelo Alvarez the whole distance last year. Incidentally, Munguia’s name was one of the three that came up for a tentative clash with the undisputed super middleweight champion during the year’s first fight on the Cinco de Mayo weekend. The second bout could probably take place by September, hopefully with David Benavidez. However, a few reports stated Alvarez may finally square up against Jermall Charlo in May. Undeniably, it must have taken many by surprise. De La Hoya revealed what he felt about the much-touted fight.

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When Oscar De La Hoya lost ‘The Vowel Game’

In Phoenix, Arizona, for the Munguia-Ryder bout, Oscar De La Hoya met Fight Hub TV‘s Marcos Villegas. The founder of Fight Hub TV asked him for his views on the rumored Jermall Charlo and Canelo Alvarez clash. “The Canelo part, there’s been rumors that the next fight for him is going to be, uh, Jermall, um, I would imagine that takes Jaime out of the conversation for May then?” asked Villegas.

But the Olympic gold medalist sounded confused as he blurted out that the match was already over between the two. The founder of Fight Hub TV corrected. It was Jermell Charlo who fought Canelo Alvarez on September 30 last year. Oscar De La Hoya acknowledged his error. He explained how the difference in the spelling of the boxing twins’ names confused him. But in the same breath, he asked who would want to watch a fight between Jermall Charlo and Canelo Alvarez now.

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I get confused, yeah, and there’s only there’s an e and an a right that separates, okay? Uh yeah, who wants to watch that?” said, ‘The Golden Boy’. Marcos Villegas asked whether the matchup interested him. ‘The Golder Boy’ replied, “No, no.

Jaime Munguia has been in the sport for some time. But surprisingly, despite a spotless record, he has yet to make a mark in the divisional landscape. Hence, many consider the fight against Ryder the first step toward the big payday. Thus, whatever is said and done, he has to defeat the Englishman to make a statement and present himself as a worthy opponent to be considered against Canelo Alvarez.

Read More: Oscar De La Hoya Gives Harsh Reality Check to Current Fighters While Sharing His Dream of “One Legend”

Do you agree with De La Hoya’s assertion that nobody would be interested in watching the Canelo Alvarez and Jermall fight? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: “Best Promoter in the Game”: Oscar De La Hoya Impresses Fans by Promising “Huge Fight” for Ryan Garcia

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Jaideep R Unnithan

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Jaideep R. Unnithan is a Senior Boxing Writer at EssentiallySports and one of the division’s most trusted voices. Since joining in October 2022, he has brought a deep love for the sport into every story, whether reporting on live bouts with the ES LiveEvent Desk or unpacking the legacy of fighters from different eras as part of the features desk. Trained under EssentiallySports’ prestigious Journalistic Excellence Program, which is a specialized training initiative designed to refine top writers' skills through mentorship and advanced sports journalism techniques, Jaideep’s writing reflects a quiet authority shaped by two years of covering boxing’s flashpoints and fault lines. He is drawn to the warrior code of legends like Alexis Argüello and Marvin Hagler, while also staying attuned to the promise of rising stars like Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez, David Benavidez, and Dmitry Bivol. Jaideep has a special fascination with Naoya Inoue’s old-school grit. Beyond writing, he reads widely, a habit that sharpens his storytelling, whether he’s tracing the rhythm of a classic fight or preparing his next ringside dispatch. Before joining EssentiallySports, Jaideep worked as a client manager and team manager in corporate roles, bringing strong organizational and communication skills to his journalistic career. He has also completed notable certifications, including a Non-Fiction Book Writing Workshop.

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Arijit Saha

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