Jaime Munguia called out Caleb Plant and Edgar Berlanga following his tenth-round knockout victory over Erik Bazinyan (32-1 23 KOs) in the main event last Friday night at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
(Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
Munguia (44-1, 35 KOs) wants a big name to get ranked high and position himself for another world title challenge. Beating Plant or Plant would be an excellent way to rise to the top and get a rematch with unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
The former WBO junior middleweight champion Munguia also mentioned wanting to fight #1 WBC-ranked Christian Mbilli. However, he’s coming off an injury from his recent fight against Sergiy Derevyanchenko, and he reportedly only wants to challenge for a world title against Canelo next. Mbilli has already earned his world title shot. It wouldn’t make sense for him to put that spot at risk against Munguia.
Those two fighters would be risky for Munguia (44-1, 35 KOs), who had problems with Bazinyan’s jab and occasional punch outbursts last night. Fighting the huge puncher Berlanga or the skilled boxer Plant would be difficult for Munguia from what he showed against Bazinyan.
Plant had mentioned wanting to fight Munguia next after his recent victory over Trevor McCumby on September 14th. It would be an excellent fight for the fans.
“There are great things to come, great fights at 168 pounds. There’s Caleb Plant, Berlanga, Christian Mbilli. There are great fights, and we will give great wars as well,” said Munguia when interviewed after his win over Bazinyan.
Berlanga’s management will likely pass up on Munguia’s offer because he’s expected to take a tune-up fight next in early 2025 in New York or Puerto Rico to rebuild after his loss to Canelo on September 14th.
Going from losing to Canelo in a punishing fight to facing a big puncher like Munguia wouldn’t be a smart move for Berlanga.
Of the three fighters that Munguia called out, Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) is the most realistic one of that will take him up on the offer. Caleb Plant needs a win like that to increase his chances of getting a lucrative rematch against Canelo. In 2021, the former IBF super middleweight champion Plant was knocked out by Alvarez in the 11th round.
That loss for Plant makes it necessary for him to get a big win over a name fighter like Munguia to strengthen his position for a rematch against Canelo. Plant’s recent victory over the little known McCumby wasn’t a big enough one to encourage Canelo to fight him again.
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