OSCAR DE LA HOYA is determined to secure an all-Mexican showdown for Jaime Munguia against Canelo Alvarez.
Munguia 41-0 (33) will fight for the first time this year when he faces Sergiy Derevyanchenko 14-4 (10) in Ontario, California on June 10.
The 26-year-old from Tijuana will be making his debut at super-middleweight having previously campaigned at super-welterweight and middleweight. His new move takes him into the territory of Canelo, the champion at 168lbs.
De La Hoya promoted the Mexican superstar from 2010 to 2020. It ended after ten years when Canelo filed a lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN for breach of contract.
Their relationship has turned soured since then with boxing’s former ‘Golden Boy’ never shy of a word or two about his former client.
Munguia’s own body of work could do with an opponent who is not a huge-priced underdog. The idea of De La Hoya and Canelo working together again seems unlikely, but the 50-year-old says the champion is the one preventing a fight from happening.
“What’s stopping it is that Canelo is not wanting to fight another fellow Mexican fighter, which is kind of absurd,” De La Hoya told Boxing Scene.
“Because if you’re a fighter, you’re a fighter. You fight anybody who is on top. You fight anybody who is in your way and is going to create a major fight for you. Munguia is right there knocking on his door.
“If I am going to pressure these fighters to fight Munguia, then that’s what I am going to do. By beating the guys, Canelo has beaten in order to get that fight with Canelo. You can run but you can’t hide. We’re going to keep pressuring and knocking on the door.”
Canelo last fought a Mexican born fighter in May 2017 when he outclassed Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in Las Vegas, an event which De La Hoya helped promote.
The Guadalajara native returned home earlier this month to fight John Ryder in Mexico, the first time he had fought there in 12 years. Canelo outpointed the Brit and now wants the opportunity to rematch light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Fighting Jaime Munguia appears not to be in his plans, but De La Hoya says it is “inevitable” that the two will face one another.
“I strongly feel that Alvarez vs Munguia is inevitable. Alvarez vs Munguia has to happen in the near future in order to keep Mexican boxing alive and thriving and bigger than ever.”
