LAS VEGAS – Erasing the stains that have marked his career since he was defeated in this same arena two years ago this weekend, Jaime Munguia found a rebirth Saturday while becoming the new WBA super middleweight titleholder.
Munguia, 46-2 (35 KOs), defeated Mexico countryman Armando Resendiz by wide unanimous decision scores of 117-111 (Eric Cheek), 119-109 (Max DeLuca) and 120-108 (Glenn Feldman) to become a two-division champion.
From the outset, Munguia showed complete preparedness for Resendiz’s power and the willingness to unleash power shots that overwhelmed his less-experienced foe.
Flashing improved footwork under trainer Eddy Reynoso, Munguia was intent to seize control from the belt holder, making the first title defense of a title he received because five-division champion Terence Crawford retired.
Munguia wanted badly to move on from the past two years, which included a Cinco de Mayo 2024 loss to current stablemate Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, a knockout loss to France’s Bruno Surace and a PED case that he conquered connected to the Surace rematch victory.
Resendiz, 16-3 (11 KOs), threw back in the third to briefly stem the tide of momentum for Munguia, but the former 154lbs titlist kept swinging viciously with success.
Then, late in the fourth, Resendiz clocked Munguia with a right flush to the jaw – a reminder of the Surace blow.
In a symbolic response, Munguia remained upright.
Bouncing on his feet and applying an effective jab, Munguia continued with his mission to remain in charge in the fifth. He delivered an uppercut and flush body shot in the sixth, moving far more boldly than he did two years ago in the Alvarez loss, during which he was knocked down.
Resendiz, fighting for the first time since he rallied on the scorecards to defeat former super middleweight titleholder Caleb Plant, lacked the power-punching advantage this time as Munguia’s movement further complicated the younger man’s pursuit.
Munguia never hesitated to engage in a center-of-the-ring slugfest with his Mexican countryman, getting the better of the action with a short left to the jaw in the seventh.
Sitting ringside, Alvarez both barked direction and pointed to his head for his stablemate to outwork and outsmart Resendiz. Going to the body and then head brought cheers from Alvarez.
Trainer Manny Robles leaned into Resendiz with fierce directions to rally from the deficit. But it was Munguia landing the blows that backed Resendiz, and it was the 29-year-old – with nearly 30 more pro fights than his foe – who fought with more energy.
He rocked Resendiz twice with rights in the ninth, bringing a cheering Alvarez out of his seat.
Munguia’s experience in throwing combinations and then tasting Resendiz’s power gave him the confidence to extend his lead in the closing rounds and remain in toe-to-toe mode, even when Resendiz landed heavily in the bout’s closing seconds.
Munguia persevered again, accepting his new belt and holding it high for all to see while seated high on a cornerman’s shoulders.
Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.
