Jaime Munguia vs Erik Bazinyan Predictions: Munguia must rebound from Canelo

Jaime Munguia returns this Friday, September 20, against Erik Bazinyan. The new Top Rank signing will box at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale Arizona. Sky Sports+ will broadcast the super middleweight scrap live. 

Here are my Munguia vs Bazinyan predictions ahead of this intriguing match-up.

Munguia must wonder what might have been. While he prepares for his Friday bout, the boxing world is focused on Saul Canelo Alvarez’s Saturday showdown with Edgar Berlanga.

In another life, Munguia would be the one defending the WBC, WBO and WBA super middleweight titles live on pay-per-view this weekend. The Mexican lost to Canelo back in May, giving a reasonable account of himself but ultimately falling short.

Canelo had Munguia on the canvas for the first time in his career and was able to outclass the previously-unbeaten star. A former WBO super welterweight champion, Munguia has found it harder going two divisions higher. While Alvarez is the only fighter to have beaten him, many thought the double-tough Sergiy Derevyanchenko was unlucky not to get the points nod against him. 

Munguia redeemed himself with an impressive performance against John Ryder. The Brit had challenged Canelo himself in the past, so it felt like logical preparation for Munguia. The fact he was able to stop Ryder, something Alvarez did not do, helped sell the title challenge. 

But on fight night, Munguia could not dethrone the world’s finest super middleweight. So now he steps into the ring off the back of the first loss of his career, in the shadows as his conqueror gets the attention.

Top Rank have matched Munguia well here. Conscious of the fact he would have gained nothing from a gimme, they have matched their new man with a world-ranked foe. Rather than a confidence-restoring knockover. Munguia gets the chance to fortify his position and chase another title shot.

Bazinyan is highly-ranked, but his record doesn’t grab you by the throat. 32-0-1 with the draw coming last time out against Shakeel Phinn, there are some known names on there but nobody world-beating. Scott Sigmon is most famous for losing to a 49-year-old Roy Jones Jr. Marcelo Coceres is the gatekeeper supreme, a man who has fought almost everyone in the division at some point.

Alantez Fox is a former world title challenger who has been in with the very best, but lost to them all. Saul Roman is a veteran of the game who troubled the world rankings a decade ago. Bazinyan has been busy and has beaten almost everyone put in front of him. But he has never seen anything like Jaime Munguia.

Bazinyan works behind a stiff jab, using the punch to find his way inside and work. Fighters down at super welterweight would have avoided this strategy against Munguia, conscious of his power. Munguia remained a knockout artist at middleweight, too. But Bazinyan might find some success going to war with the super middleweight iteration of the Mexican.

Munguia has knocked out two of his five opponents at super middleweight, with doubts hanging over his power at the higher weight. Bazinyan may try to take advantage of this up close. 

However, I think in a fight like this we’ll see the power-punching Munguia of old. Bazinyan isn’t defensively-sound enough to keep the Mexican former champion off him for a sustained period in my opinion.

Jaime Munguia vs Erik Bazinyan Fight Odds

Munguia is a heavy favourite here, priced at 1/12, with Bazinyan a 6/1 underdog. The draw is priced at 16/1.

Jaime Munguia vs Erik Bazinyan Full Card

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Jaime Munguia vs Erik Bazinyan Prediction

I think this will be a war for as long as it lasts. Munguia has superior technical talent, which will lead Bazinyan to opt for a firefight. But Munguia is well-versed in the art of war and I think his signature power of old will come to the forefront.

My pick is a Munguia knockout in round eight, which you can back at odds of 8/1.

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