Via Dan Ambrose: Undefeated middleweight contenders Jaime Munguia and D’Mitrius Ballard agreed to a deal posted on DAZN on February 19.
It’s another busy fight for the Golden Boy who promoted Munguia to keep him active until he gets his big payday, possibly this year against the IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
Until Munguia fights Golovkin, he will probably continue play it safe from edge level opposition. Ballard doesn’t rank in the top 15, so this is worse than fringe level.
The former 154-lb WBO champion Munguia (38-0.30 KOs) and Ballard (21-0-1, 13 KOs) was expected to fight in 2021, but the Maryland native was injured and unable to fight. join the match.
Munguia can fight for a world title now
This is a weird fight for #1 WBC, #1 WBO, #2 WBA, #12 IBF Munguia will be in as he ranks high enough to challenge middleweight champions Jermall Charlo and Demetrius Andrade.
Both of those title fights are for 25-year-old Munguia if he wants them, but he doesn’t care. It was obvious why Munguia didn’t want to face Charlo or Andrade.
The fight Munguia wants is against 160-lb IBF champion Golovkin, and it could happen to him in 2022. Munguia has called for Golovkin, but the fight isn’t ready yet.
Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) needs to get his unification fight before going against the WBA champion Ryota Murata in March or April before Munguia. The popular GGG is another boxer who can go up against Charlo or Andrade without any problems, but he’s not interested.
Those two would take the opportunity to fight Golovkin and make tons of money, but he didn’t want that. He wants to fight easy picks like Murata (16-2, 13 KOs) who lost to Hassan N’dam and Rob Brant. In Golovkin’s last battle, he fought Kamil Szeremeta.
GGG is a match that will make Munguia a lot of money, and the potential is can win more for him than Charlo or Andrade.
Jaime shouldn’t have a problem with Ballard
Last November, Munguia recently defeated Gabe Rosado by a unanimous decision round 12 competition. Rosado solved Munguia a few problems, but in the end, he wasn’t busy enough to defeat him.
Prior to that, Munguia stopped former middleweight title challenger Kamil Szeremeta in the sixth round last June. It’s a great way to compare Munguia to Golovkin, who beat Szeremeta in 2020.
Ballard did not have the strength or experience to fight Munguia. Unless Munguia finally falls, he will easily defeat Ballard in February.
Ballard’s last six games:
- Paul Valenzuela Jr – 10 UD
- Yamaguchi Falcao – Draw 10
- Elias Espadas – ND 3
- Victor Fonseca Calderas – TKO 5
- Alan Campa – UD 8
- Jaime Solorio – 10 USD
As you can see, Ballard’s management spoon-fed him and didn’t bring him in with the kind of objections needed to raise his profile, improve him, and get ranked.
The 28-year-old Ballard has been carried by his promoters at an icy speed and he has only battled a recognizable name during his nine-year professional career at Yamaguchi Falcao.
Ballard won’t be ready for this HUGE fight with Munguia on February 19, and he’s likely to lose badly.
Jaime doesn’t take risks
It’s disappointing that Munguia is carried in a way that suggests he is passing up title opportunities for the sake of a big money fight against Golovkin.
For years, it was talked about Munguia finally facing Canelo Alvarez for a big payday. However, that fight will never happen once the Mexican red-headed star has left the Golden Boy.
Munguia will give Charlo and Andrade strength problems, high work, proportions, youth and greatly improved boxing skills.
At this point, Munguia will be up against Golovkin, who will turn 40 in April and hasn’t fought in over a year.
Ballard and Falcao battled out a 10-majority draw in December 2019 in a match many boxing fans felt Ballard should have lost.
WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade, Eddie Hearn, who promotes Munguia for not using mandatory status to challenge ‘Boo Boo’ for his title.
