Jaime Munguia fully expects to soon enter the middleweight title picture.
It won’t happen in the immediate future, though also not too far beyond that point.
Despite being named in an ordered WBC title eliminator with Sergey Derevyanchenko, Tijuana’s Munguia (37-0, 30KOs) awaits a fight date with a long-discussed showdown versus Philadelphia’s ‘King’ Gabriel Rosado (26-13-1, 15KOs). BoxingScene.com has learned that plans remain in place to headline a DAZN show in late October, with October 23 mentioned as a possibility.
Representatives from Zanfer Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions—Munguia’s promoters—did not return messages seeking confirmation.
An order from the WBC on August 19 called for Munguia to enter talks with Derevyanchenko, at which time he was already in advanced talks for a showdown with Rosado. Several outlets have recently indicated that Munguia has withdrawn from the title eliminator—which would determine the mandatory challenger to reigning middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo—though the WBC classified such reports as “erroneous.”
Munguia remains the number-one ranked contender for both the WBC and WBO middleweight titles. Derevyanchenko—a three-time title challenger—is ranked number-two by the WBC.
Talks for Munguia-Rosado initially took shape shortly after both appeared and won in separate fights on the same June 19 DAZN card in El Paso, Texas. Munguia—a former WBO junior middleweight titlist—turned away former IBF middleweight title challenger Kamil Szeremeta after six one-sided rounds in the evening’s main event. In the chief support and easily stealing the show, Rosado landed on the favorable end of a candidate for Knockout and Upset of the Year following a sensational, one-punch third round knockout of previously unbeaten Bektemir ‘Bek Bully’ Melikuziev (7-1, 6KOs).
Rosado jumped at the opportunity to appear on the show, having long sought a showdown with Munguia as far back as the moments immediately following his disputed twelve-round, split decision defeat to former middleweight titlist Daniel Jacobs last November in Hollywood, Florida. Both Rosado and Munguia previously confirmed that talks were underway for this potential matchup, which now has the finish line in sight.
“In talks with Golden Boy to make this epic fight happen in the fall,” Rosado confirmed earlier this summer. “The people want it. It’s time to deliver!”
“Let’s make it happen,” Munguia replied via social media, the short-and-sweet message accompanied by photos of the two boxers face to face following their respective wins in June.
Munguia has stopped his last four opponents, including three straight since moving up to middleweight last January. Prior to the move, Munguia crammed five title defenses in a fourteen-month span after claiming the WBO junior middleweight title in a May 2018 stoppage win over Sadam Ali.
With a win in October—or whenever the fight ultimately takes place—Munguia will theoretically pursue any path necessary to become a two-division champ. That much has been communicated to the WBC, who remains of the belief that a title eliminator with Derevyanchenko can still be arranged should Munguia prevail.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox