Oscar De La Hoya believes there’s a compelling — and extra importantly, possible — struggle within the close to offing for Jaime Munguia.
The pinnacle of Golden Boy stated in a latest interview that his precedence this 12 months is to ensure Mexico’s Munguia is concerned in a major struggle, and Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, the Kazakh bruiser who holds two 160-pound titles, is outwardly on the high of the Corridor of Famer’s checklist.
De La Hoya stated he has already “reached out” to Golvokin’s group about that matchup.
Munguia, a former titlist at 154, has been extensively rebuked in boxing circles for taking up largely smooth touches up to now few years. The favored and entertaining fighter steamrolled his opponents final 12 months, stopping D’Mitrius Ballard, Jimmy Kelly, and Gonzalo Gaston Coria all inside six rounds.
In the identical interval, Munguia and De La Hoya have been excoriated by boxing followers after plans to face WBC titlist Jermall Charlo on a Showtime-produced fundamental occasion fell aside on the eleventh hour, as a result of De La Hoya insisted late in negotiations that his community accomplice, DAZN, even be concerned within the broadcasting.
“That’s an enormous chance, a struggle with Jaime Munguia and Triple G,” De La Hoya advised The DAZN Boxing Present. “I believe each guys should show themselves in a means. I believe that struggle could be good. I believe that’s the struggle to make. We’ve already reached out To Triple G’s individuals. I strongly really feel that Jaime Munguia is prepared for anyone.
“In order that’s my purpose for 2023, to make Jaime Munguia one of the best fighter attainable and to get him to a world title,” De La Hoya added. “However initially I would like him to struggle Triple G.”
Munguia (41-0, 33 KOs) himself known as out Golovkin final 12 months after defeating Coria.
Golovkin is coming off a factors loss to rival Canelo Alvarez final September in a 168-pound undisputed title bout. A community free agent, Golovkin had beforehand been signed to DAZN, the subscription streaming service that at present counts De La Hoya’s Golden Boy as a key content material accomplice. It’s not clear if Golovkin has any intention of re-signing with DAZN, however a struggle between him and Munguia would probably solely be attainable if DAZN can stream it.
Paradoxically, Munguia was a possible candidate to face Golovkin within the spring of 2018, when Golovkin was on the lookout for a substitute for Alvarez after the Mexican celebrity examined optimistic for a banned performance-enhancing substance. The Nevada State Athletic Fee, nonetheless, didn’t clear Munguia, who was nonetheless one thing of a prospect on the time, as an appropriate opponent for Golovkin.
In the identical interview, De La Hoya admitted that making significant fights for Munguia has been a difficult process as a result of most of the high opponents are aligned with De La Hoya’s enterprise rival, Premier Boxing Champions, the content material accomplice of Showtime. The promoter, nonetheless, believes the upcoming showdown between PBC’s Gervonta “Tank” Davis and De La Hoya’s ace consumer Ryan Garcia could result in a thawing in relations.
“It’s a bit of tough to make fights with him (Munguia) for some motive as a result of all of the fighters that he can struggle are with PBC,” De La Hoya stated of Munguia. “And so what I’m optimistic about is making this Ryan Garcia struggle with Tank, we will begin working collectively and make the massive fights occur.”