Liam Smith Believes Jaime Munguia Has a “Massive Chance” to Dethrone Canelo Alvarez
In a highly anticipated clash set for this Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Jaime Munguia is believed to have a significant opportunity to unseat Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as the undisputed super-middleweight champion. The Mexican rivals will meet on the occasion of Cinco de Mayo weekend, with Canelo the strong favorite, but former opponent Liam Smith believes the challenger has a realistic shot at victory.
Smith, who faced both fighters in competitive bouts in the past, has closely monitored their progress, including Canelo’s 2020 win over Smith’s brother Callum. While Canelo has emerged victorious in each of their encounters, the 33-year-old champion is increasingly being viewed as potentially on the decline, while the 27-year-old Munguia is approaching his prime.
“Ability-wise – tactics, and technical-wise – [Alvarez is] probably as good as he always has been,” Smith stated. “But I do think he’s slowing down a touch. Maybe his career’s catching up with him – he’s been pro a long time, since he was a teenager, and fought at the top level for over 10 years. You think of the camps; the high-level fights; the pressure. Everything that comes with being a superstar like he is – I think it’s catching up with him.”
Smith acknowledges Canelo’s exceptional technical abilities and defensive prowess, which he experienced firsthand during their fight in 2016. However, the former opponent believes Munguia’s aggressive, high-volume approach could pose a significant challenge for the champion.
“Definitely [he’s the best I’ve fought] – by a long way. Everything. He’s a long way out. He’s out on his own,” Smith said of Canelo. “But Munguia will have loads of moments where Canelo’s defence; defence; defence – when Munguia’s trying to throw three, four, five, six, seven shots at him – but Canelo will counter and make Munguia pay for lots of mistakes. Canelo will capitalise a lot and make Munguia… I think Canelo could get a stoppage. But it’ll be very entertaining. It’ll be a great fight to watch on the eye.”
Despite Munguia’s defensive vulnerabilities, Smith believes the challenger has a “massive chance” to pull off the upset, especially if Canelo has indeed shown signs of slowing down. The stage is set for a thrilling clash between the two Mexican stars this weekend in Las Vegas.
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