Canelo Alvarez’s Medical Situation Becomes Jaime Munguia’s Road to Redemption in IBF Title Race
Osleys Iglesias’ dream of repeating Terence Crawford’s feat may have run into a hurdle. Like Crawford, the Cuban contender received an opportunity to face Canelo Alvarez. But while the Nebraskan stepped in and staged a historic upset, Iglesias now faces disappointment as a different showdown looms.
Canelo Alvarez has opted out, likely due to the elbow surgery he underwent following his loss to Crawford. But where one man loses, another gains. His absence seems to have opened the door for his former opponent, Jaime Munguia. The former light middleweight champion had found himself embroiled in a doping controversy following his win over Bruno Surace in their May rematch. Later in September, reports suggested he had been cleared of the charges. Now ranked one position below Canelo, a fight with Osleys Iglesias potentially puts Munguia back in title contention.
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Canelo’s withdrawal puts Munguia back in the title hunt
The development follows Canelo’s decision to decline the invitation for a potential matchup against Iglesias for the IBF title. The championship was left vacant after Crawford announced his retirement last month.
“Canelo Alvarez has declared himself unavailable when contacted by the IBF about a potential vacant super-middleweight title fight against Osleys Iglesias, as Canelo is recovering from his recent elbow surgery,” a Ring Magazine post read.
In response, Iglesias’ team appears to have fixed its sights on IBF super middleweight No. 4 Jaime Munguia. According to his manager, Camille Estephan, they are willing to face anyone. He recalled how his charge outboxed Vladimir Shishkin in a title eliminator.
The Eye of the Tiger president told Ring, “We are hoping the IBF responds quickly and sends a letter to the next available contender, which happens to be (Jaime) Munguia; we’ll see what he says.”
Earlier, perhaps getting ahead of himself, Estephan caused quite a stir when he stated that the IBF had “ordered” Iglesias vs. Canelo.
That claim, however, was met with backlash. Eminent boxing journalists Dan Rafael and Jake Donovan revealed that, far from being “ordered,” the matchup had merely been inquired about by the IBF.
168 pounds wide open as Crawford, Canelo exit the picture
Interestingly, Munguia and 168-pound WBC interim champion Christian Mbilli, who is also promoted by Camille Estephan, were reportedly in talks for a matchup. However, another conflicting report suggests the Cameroonian-French fighter could instead be in line for a bout against Hamzah Sheeraz for the now-vacant WBC title.
Amid the confusion, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge. Canelo may break away from his long-standing tradition of fighting on Cinco de Mayo this year. With Crawford retired, the chances of a rematch are now slim. It remains unclear whom the Mexican superstar may fight next.
But fans can expect his return around Mexican Independence Day weekend in September.
Crawford’s retirement may have put the division in flux, yet it also seems to have made the situation more exciting. The WBA now has a full champion. Months after defeating Caleb Plant for the interim title, Jose Resendiz has found himself elevated to full champion status. However, he will have to face a mandatory challenge from top-ranked Bektemir Melikuziev.
A similar situation complicates matters at the WBO. Canelo ranks as its No. 1 contender, but due to his absence, Diego Pacheco and Hamzah Sheeraz have been instructed to finalize a fight for the vacant title. Fans should therefore stay tuned as intriguing matchups emerge in the months to come.
