Expect Fireworks on Cinco De Mayo Weekend

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend for the eighth time since 2015 when he headlines a pay-per-view event May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The 33-year-old superstar’s showdown with countryman Jaime Munguia will mark just his second Cinco de Mayo matchup with a fellow Mexican, though. Alvarez hasn’t faced a Mexican opponent early in May since he dominated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in their 2017 bout at T-Mobile Arena.

Guadalajara’s Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) will defend his Undisputed IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO Super Middleweight World Titles against Tijuana’s Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) in the 12-round main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View show available on Prime Video (8p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

“I’m very proud and excited to be able to make this fight,” Alvarez said of a championship clash that was officially announced Tuesday afternoon. “A Mexican versus another Mexican is always a huge fight and it’s been a while since there’s been one like this. It’s great to give an opportunity like this to a fighter that’s earned it like Jaime has. It gives me a lot of joy that two Mexicans will be facing each other in such a big fight for the sport.”

Munguia, 27, is the number one-ranked contender by both the WBC and WBO for two of Alvarez’s four titles. Munguia, a former WBO junior middleweight champ who is 3-0 (2 KOs) in super middleweight matches, is also rated eighth by the IBF.

Fans and pundits have long mentioned Munguia as a potential opponent for Alvarez, who is 8-0 (4 KOs) in fights contested at the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds.

“I’m very, very happy and filled with enthusiasm for this great opportunity,” Munguia said. “I’m incredibly grateful to everyone involved who were able to make this fight a reality. We are ready to give fans a great night of boxing on Saturday, May 4. I can’t wait to demonstrate to the world that I am capable of doing great things. Viva Tijuana and Viva Mexico!”

The taller, younger Munguia made a strong case to challenge Alvarez on May 4, when he battered British southpaw John Ryder on his way to a ninth-round, technical-knockout victory January 27 at Footprint Center in Phoenix.

A sharp, strong Munguia dropped Ryder once apiece in the second and fourth rounds and twice during the ninth round before referee Wes Melton halted their scheduled 12-round bout. Ryder (32-7, 18 KOs) got up from a fifth-round knockdown and took Alvarez the 12-round distance in his previous appearance, a fight the London native lost by unanimous decision last May 6 at Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, just outside of Guadalajara.

The 35-year-old Ryder retired after suffering just the second knockout defeat of his 13-year professional career to Munguia. Facing a hungry challenger who overwhelmed one of their two common opponents figures to motivate Alvarez in what will be the pound-for-pound great’s third fight with PBC. 

“ A Mexican versus another Mexican is always a huge fight and it’s been a while since there’s been one like this. ”
Undisputed Super Middleweight World Champion – Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

“We are very excited to return on May 4, especially with a Mexican opponent,” said Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s manager and trainer. “This will be a 100-percent Mexican celebration! There has been a long time since two Mexicans have faced each other in an event like this. It’s going to be a grand fight. Jaime Munguia is an ex-champion who’s been winning fights and demonstrating great things. That tells me it’s going to be an exciting fight. I am very happy and grateful to Jaime that he agreed to make this happen.”

Alvarez explored a May 4 fight with WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo, whose twin brother, Jermell, lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Alvarez on September 30 at T-Mobile Arena. The four-weight world champion ultimately decided to meet Munguia in what figures to be Alvarez’s first of two fights in 2024.

A pre-sale for tickets to the card headlined by Alvarez-Munguia is scheduled for Thursday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT (AXS.com; use the code: PBC). Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. PT, also via AXS.com.

“Cinco de Mayo weekend is a crown jewel in the boxing calendar,” said Tom Brown, president of TGB Promotions, “and this year will be one of the most anticipated in recent memory with this all-Mexico showdown between undisputed champion and future Hall of Famer Canelo Alvarez taking on the undefeated power puncher Jaime Munguia, headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video. Saturday, May 4 at T-Mobile Arena will be the highlight of what is always one of the city’s biggest weekends. Fans know that when an all-time great like Canelo faces a hungry action fighter like Munguia, the chances for drama and fireworks are through the roof.”

Oscar De La Hoya, Munguia’s co-promoter, expects his fighter to test Alvarez in ways that Chavez couldn’t do when they squared off in a non-title fight nearly seven years ago. Alvarez shut out Chavez according to all three judges and won by the same score, 120-108, on the cards of Adalaide Byrd, Glenn Feldman and Dave Moretti.

“An all-Mexican championship showdown on Cinco de Mayo weekend between two guys with immense pride for their country and at the top of their games – it doesn’t get any better for the sport of boxing,” said De La Hoya, whose company, Golden Boy Promotions, represents Munguia along with Fernando Beltran’s Zanfer Boxing. “Given Jaime’s incredible offensive attack, Canelo’s unmatched counterpunching and both guys’ tremendous power, fans are in for a real barn burner. We at Golden Boy are proud to have been able to work with our partners at DAZN to help make this massive battle and potential instant classic in Las Vegas that you don’t want to miss!”

For a closer look at Canelo vs Munguia, check out our fight night page.