Munguia Vs. Ryder: Trainer Sanchez Picks Jaime, Analyzes Strategies And Predicts Future Fights

Trainer Abel Sanchez predicts a victory for Jaime Munguia over John Ryder this Saturday night in their 12-round super middleweight headliner at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on a Golden Boy-promoted card.

Sanchez says Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs) will either stop veteran Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) late or will win a decision by four or five points. The event will be shown on DAZN starting at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Sanchez feels that Munguia’s volume punching and his willingness to take punches to deliver his own will give him an advantage over Ryder.

The 35-year-old Ryder is less willing to take punches to get his own shots off than the 27-year-old Munguia, who typically gets hit a lot and doesn’t seem to mind it.

He almost lost his last fight against Sergiy Derevyanchenko because he was getting worked over by the Ukrainian fighter. If not for the twelfth-round knockdown that Munguia scored, he would have lost the fight.

Munguia With More Tools

“I think toughness is one of them, but he’s not willing to take a shot to get a shot in as Munguia is,” said Abel Sanchez to Fight Hub TV, discussing what John Ryder has in his favor against Jaime Munguia for their fight this Saturday, January 27th.

“If Ryder is able to land some shots and gets a cut or a swollen eye in the fight, it becomes a different situation. Munguia is willing to take a shot to land a couple. I don’t think Ryder is as willing to. I think he’s a little more defensive-minded than Munguia would be in the fight.

“I think Munguia has more tools. So having more tools, Ryder is going to have to be more gritty and more tough and is going to have to be durable and find his spots. I think that Ryder does that.

“Not push him back, but control the rounds,” said Sanchez on what Ryder must do to win. Don’t allow Munguia to get into a rhythm. Don’t allow Munguia to be a boss in there. He probably will be, but he’s offset with some faints, movements steps and different angles, then I think it’ll help Ryder.

“He’s going to have to because it’s going to be a tough night for him because Munguia is going to land his shots. He’s longer, taller, bigger. I’m not going to say stronger, but a bigger specimen.

“He’s going to have to find a way to not allow Munguia to muscle him and bully him. With this trainer, he’s going to improve a lot because it’s not just going to be offense. It’s going to be responsible defense,” said Sanchez about Munguia likely to improve now that he’s being trained by Freddie Roach.

“He’s going to be a responsible defensive fighter by being very offensive. Freddie’s style is that way. He’s going to have you throw a lot of shots, and a lot of combinations, but at the same time being in the position to slip a couple and not get caught with as many as he’s been caught in the past,” said Sanchez.

Jaime Working With New Trainer

“A couple of fights [for a fighter to get comfortable with a new trainer],” said Sanchez. “The difference in this situation is Munguia is young and willing to learn. Not an old veteran set in his old ways. Even though he has a lot of fights on his record, he’s still a young man.

“With the guys that Freddie has got in his gym, he’s going to get a lot of different looks, and by getting those looks, he’s going to have to improve in the gym. You need that variation in the gym. You need that different looks from different fighters. Not the same sparring all the time.

“Munguia not only needs to get in shape, he needs to learn his craft, and I think with Freddie and the guys he has in the gym, he’s going to get those looks. He’s going to have to learn his craft because he’s going to be getting hit.

“I don’t think he’s the kind of guy in the gym that is going to want to get beat up. It’s not like Munguia is fighting a fresh guy. He’s fighting a guy that is in the same stage as Derevyanchenko was,” said Sanchez.

Munguia to Stop Ryder Late

“I think if there’s a stoppage, it’s late. I don’t think there’s an upset,” said Sanchez. “I think Munguia has the toughness and the volume of punches to hopefully incorporate some of Freddie’s teachings and throw combinations that Ryder won’t be able to avoid.

“Like I said, he gets stopped late, or the corner stops it, or a four or five-point decision. I hope Munguia doesn’t think too much. When you get with a new coach, you want to please them. You want to do all the things.

“If he starts thinking too much, he may get hit because he may try and do some things that they’re trying to implement in their style. If he just goes out with what’s natural with his shots and natural what he’s doing, then I think he has a good time.

“It’s not going to be an easy fight, but a fight that’s needed at this time in his career going with Freddie the first time. Absolutely, you want to please. The fighter goes in and tries to do things so perfectly like what you practiced in the gym, and he’s not doing the things that come natural to him.

“Then what happens is you’re in there is the split second that you’re thinking, you get caught with a jab or good right hand because you were trying to put it together in your head.

“Morrell and the winners fights in the Super Bowl in September,” said Sanchez about his prediction that Canelo Alvarez will fight Jermall Charlo on May 4th, while David Benavidez takes on WBA ‘regular’ super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. next.

“Who can David [Benavidez] fight that will propel him into that fight [against Canelo] in September? If he beats Ryder. I’d rather David fight Morrell. I think that’s the case with Morrell [being still inexperienced].

“Even though he has a good amateur background, amateurs are one thing and the pros are a different thing. David is a different animal than the guys he’s [Morrell] been fighting. So, I think he gets him at the point where Morrell isn’t that seasoned fighter yet as a pro, and I think he does good with him.

“I wouldn’t want to see him [Benavidez] fight Munguia. That’s more of a tactical fight for me. I think they would have too much respect for each other. They’re both big guys. It would be a jabbing contest and nothing that would make for an exciting fight. I don’t want to see it [Benavidez vs. Munguia] next.

“If the winner of the September fight, whoever the winner is, then I think Munguia is a good May fight for next year. You’re assuming that Charlo doesn’t beat Canelo.

“Probably not but Canelo already has a built in fan base. So, he just needs to stay busy,” said Sanchez when asked if a fight between Canelo and Jermall Charlo sells for May 4th on Amazon Prime PPV.