Super middleweight Jaime Munguia says he would be ready to fight with Edgar Berlanga next year.
Mexico’s Munguia, 28, is scheduled to take on Frenchman Bruno Surace in Tijuana on December 14, following the cancellation of an initial clash with Ronald Gavril. And Berlanga could be next.
“We are going to have a fight, I think it can be a good fight next year, so we are going to do it,” Munguia, 44-1 (35 KOs), told Fight Hub TV about the potential matchup.
Munguia named Caleb Plant and Christian Mbilli as other 168-pound fighters that he would want to face next year. But before thinking about the trio, Munguia says he has unfinished business on December 14.
“Obviously, as you say, there's Caleb Plant, there's Billy, he's with Top Rank, so let's see what's coming. Firstly, we now have the commitment of December 14, but without a doubt, everything is going to turn out well.
“Next year we will have a great fight with any of those names we mentioned. Well, now we really have to see what people would like to see. You have to evaluate all of that and personally I think it would be a better fight with Berlanga and obviously I would like to be world champion again, now at 168, but whatever is best for the entire public and for my career.”
Both Munguia and Berlanga faced Canelo Alvarez this year, losing unanimously to the Mexican superstar. Despite both fighters encountering decision losses to Alvarez, Munguia believes his performance was superior.
“Well, I think that they were obviously two totally different fights, but the difference that I see is that I did try to win the fight. But I think that Berlanga only went to survive. He always looked at him with fear. From the beginning, I looked at him as retreating, going behind, always afraid, never looking to make a fight. I mean, I never saw him try to win the fight.”
Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at bernardneequaye@gmail.com.