Before losing a 12-round unanimous decision to Canelo Alvarez in May, Jaime Munguia had gone 43-0 and become a world champion. Now, in unexplored territory, the Mexican star looks to bounce back from defeat when he takes on Erik Bazinyan at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday, September 20.
WATCH: Jaime Munguia vs. Erik Bazinyan, exclusively on ESPN+
Munguia, 27, fought gamely against Canelo on Cinco de Mayo weekend, surviving an uppercut knockdown and several punishing moments to last the distance. However, the former WBO super welterweight titleholder is still determined to become a two-weight world champion and he’s back in action against a dangerous opponent.
"I feel good at 168 pounds. I have adjusted very well. I feel very good making weight, and I have no problem," said Munguia via a Top Rank press release. "Making 160 and 154 took a lot of work for me. Right now, I’m doing well. The goal right now is to become world champion again but at 168 pounds.
"Erik Bazyinan is a good fighter. He’s undefeated. He switches stances. We need to be careful with that. He’s taller and has a longer reach than me. He has a good jab. He can punch well on the inside. He’s a fighter who comes with all the desire to excel."
Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs) has Munguia’s respect and for good reason. Despite coming off a 10-round split decision draw against Shakeel Finn, the 29-year-old Canadian is a hard-hitting and diligent professional who is rated No. 6 by The Ring. This is the biggest fight of Bazinyan’s life and his motivation is sky high.
The Sporting News looks at the pre-fight odds and predicts the outcome of the main event.
Jaime Munguia vs. Erik Bazinyan odds, betting
Per BetMGM, Munguia is the -600 favorite while Bazinyan is the +450 underdog. The draw is +1600.
Jaime Munguia vs. Erik Bazinyan expert prediction
This is a dangerous fight for Munguia and he should be praised for not coming back against a soft touch.
Bazinyan is a very good technician and an adept counterpuncher. He’s also a natural super middleweight, so unlike some of Munguia’s other opponents, he won’t be dwarfed by the Mexican fighter.
However, despite the upside, there are one or two concerns. Bazinyan has the habit of keeping his head straight up and that might lead to disaster. Also, many fans and experts felt that he deserved to lose to Finn, who frequently pushed Bazinyan to the ropes and unloaded on him.
If Finn can pressure Bazinyan and almost pull off a win, then what can a fighter of Munguia’s quality do? Having just signed with a new promoter in Top Rank, the former champion will be eager to impress and move on to a world title fight.
It's easy to foresee Bazinyan having success over the first half before Munguia’s pressure and volume punching begin to wear him down. Getting Bazinyan out will not be easy, so I can see Munguia securing a unanimous decision win in the 117-111 range.
SN Prediction: Munguia UD 12
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