Jaime Munguia vs Gabriel Rosado – Big Fight Preview & Predictions

Jaime Munguia makes his second appearance of 2021 at The Honda Centre in Anaheim this Saturday night, as the Mexican defends his WBO Intercontinental middleweight title against the hard as nails Gabriel Rosado.

Munguia (37-0, KO30) moved up to middleweight at the start of 2020 after a spell as world champion at super welterweight, but he is still in search of meaningful fights at his new chosen weight. Still only 25, Munguia became WBO champion at 154 pounds in May 2018, stopping Sadam Ali in four rounds, and the Tijuana man made five defences of the belt before outgrowing the weight.

He debuted at middleweight with an 11th round stoppage of Gary O’Sullivan, and has since followed that up with back to back sixth round retirement wins over Tureano Johnson and Kamil Szeremeta, but, as the number one ranked fighter in the division with the WBC and WBO, he will hope to secure a world title shot in early 2022 with victory over Rosado (26-13-1, KO15).

The 35-year-old based in Los Angeles is better known for his losses rather than his wins, but he always comes to fight, and rarely takes a backwards step. Rosado first stepped up to world title level in 2013, stopped in seven by Gennady Golovkin, and was also halted in ten the same year in a challenge for the WBO title against Peter Quillin. That set off a run of five defeats in seven fights, and his form has been patchy ever since, although he has been unfortunate, especially in tight defeats on the cards to Macej Sulecki and Daniel Jacobs. Rosado scored an impressive victory last time out, knocking out Bektemir Melikuziev in three rounds in what was his third straight fight at super middleweight.

Prediction: Munguia is in need of a statement win here, but Rosado is a tough man to move. It could be a wild fight, with Rosado laying it all on the line, but I favour the Mexican to retain his belt via wide decision in an entertaining battle.

Five ten rounders prop up the main event. Former WBO flyweight champion Arely Mucino (29-3-2, KO10) is in action, and the Mexican should be able to widely outscore her compatriot Jacky Calvo (14-6-2, KO1). William Zepeda (23-0, KO21) defends his WBA Continental Americas lightweight title against Filipino John Vincent Moralde (24-4, KO13).

Prediction: Moralde has been halted in one and three rounds in four defeats, and Zepeda can increase his knockout stats with an inside schedule win.

At featherweight, Diego De La Hoya (22-1, KO10) can take a points win against Jose Santos Gonzalez (23-9-1, KO13), while at middleweight, D’Mitrius Ballard (20-0-1, KO13) can stop Paul Valenzuela Jr (26-9, KO17) in their meeting. The final ten round attraction is at welterweight, and Alexis Rocha (17-1, KO11) should take the win against Jeovanis Barraza (23-1, KO15).

Three four round bouts round off the card. Super lightweight Alejandro Reyes (4-0, KO3) can stop Osmel Mayorga (2-2, KO1), while at super bantamweight, Asa Stevens (1-0, KO0) should take a points win against Daniel Mendez Vazquez (0-1). Jorge Chavez makes his debut, and he can win on the cards against the winless Gilberto Aguilar (0-3) at super featherweight.

The full card will be televised live on DAZN.