Almost a year ago, Jaime Munguia thrilled the boxing public with an epic matchless performance that showcased his talents and undeniable conditioning. One of the few questions remaining for the undefeated super middleweight is whether now a step up in competition will lead to a step up to a world title fight.
With a victory Saturday against the tough John Ryder (32-6), at Phoenix’s Footprint Center (and broadcast live on DAZN)— Munguia can answer this question. It’s his toughest challenge yet, as the 168-pound Brit looks to bounce back from a tough, tough loss to a fighter many believe is the best in the sport today — Canelo Alvarez.
Alvarez is the name left by Munguia’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, when it comes to taking the next step forward. But right now, Munguia, while still undefeated, is finishing with confidence to hone his skills for another monster showdown this weekend.
“Nobody is perfect,” Munguia said through a translator. “We must always learn, we must always keep learning. And at some point we’re going to lose that perfection, so we have to keep learning and keep moving forward.”
Munguia says he has been a constant student of the fight of boxing since his first win in 2013, as he explains to M&F. But even the current WBO silver middleweight champion isn’t necessarily looking for a repeat of last June’s epic 12-round victory. Sergiy Derevyanchenko. The brutal back-and-forth was as grueling as it was exhilarating — ESPN named it the 2023 race of the year. The 27-year-old says the key to his preparation is old-school running.
“I’ll run every day for an hour and a half,” says Munguia. “Then it’s a bit more preparation, then boxing. This is how we do it.”
In addition to road work, for this weekend’s fight, Munguia also began training with Freddie Roach, the legendary trainer who also worked with De La Hoya during his 2007 fight against Floyd Mayweather. Even though his record has zero blemishes, Munguia says there were still some tweaks from the last fight that have been fixed that he’s ready to show fight fans.
“Freddy helped me clarify a lot of things I was already working on,” says Munguia. “It’s made him almost perfect at polishing them. And on Saturday you will see them.”
Ahead of Saturday’s fight, Muscle & Fitness spoke with Munguia about what motivates him, how he prepares and how he cooks once the fight is over.
What’s the first thing you should do after weighing yourself?
Right after the weigh-in I like to hydrate a lot. Like, lots of electrolytes. I’m going to eat a lot of oats and things that don’t make me feel too heavy because I still need to be ready for the race. So I still have to watch what I eat, even after I’ve passed the weigh-in.
Did you have to focus on your diet during camp?
Not really. It was quite normal for me. In camp I’m pretty fit and I don’t really need to lose weight.
Your last fight against Sergiy Derevyanchenko was brutal and exciting—and was named Fight of the Year by ESPN. How do you prepare to survive and thrive for 12 rounds?
You have to work very, very hard because your body has to be ready for the punishment. You have to be ready to be good and well at game time and just keep working hard to be ready.
What’s it like to hit like that for 12 rounds?
Fist is my livelihood. Just prepare for it by preparing yourself throughout the training leading up to the race. This will prepare you for each punch.
What makes this fight against John Ryder different from your other fights?
There are many fighters who like to stay at a certain level. It’s not me. With this race, I want to keep learning and learning, and now with Freddie, we are better than before and we will be ready for this race.
What is a training day like for Jaime Munguia for this fight?
I wake up and run, then do some prep before breakfast. I’ll rest a bit after that until the evening when I go back and it’s boxing.
How much sleep do you get during camp?
I’ll have seven to nine hours. Sometimes it’s six, but usually it’s seven or eight hours. This is the rule.
What’s one drill that works best for you that every fighter should incorporate?
I’m used to running long distances. Not much, maybe an hour and a half. It’s something that works for me, and I love doing it. I would recommend everyone to do it.
I got this tip from Eric Morales, a former world champion and former coach. He was telling me that back in the day fighters didn’t train to prepare, all they did was run. They didn’t care about food or anything—all they did was run. And so they reached 15 rounds. So that’s why I do it. That’s why I love running. If I run, when it comes to combat, I can go on and on.
What type of workout do you dread the most?
I get scared when we have to sprint. It could be Wednesday or Thursday. I’ll wake up and feel good, and then I’ll remember it’s sprint day, then it’s like, ugh, here we go again. That’s the only thing I don’t like.
Once the match is over, what’s the first thing Jaime Munguia will order?
I want to go back to Tijuana and eat tacos. [laughs]
