LAS VEGAS -- Canelo Alvarez spent all fight week explaining that he's just different and was levels above his aggressive, unbeaten opponent in Mexican countryman Jaimie Munguia.
It turned out, he was right.
Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) made the fourth defense of his undisputed super middleweight title on Saturday in a masterful yet grueling unanimous decision to hand Munguia (43-1) his first pro defeat. The 33-year-old Mexican icon took home judges' scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112. CBS Sports scored it 118-109 for Alvarez.
The fight headlined a Cinco de Mayo weekend card inside T-Mobile Arena as Alvarez faced off against a fellow Mexican-born opponent for the first time since he dominated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2017.
Despite a hot start from the upstart Munguia, a 27-year-old native of Tijuana who is trained by Hall-of-Famer Freddie Roach, Alvarez rallied to floor his opponent with a beautiful right uppercut in Round 4 just as Munguia was heating up. Despite plenty of phonebooth action the rest of the way, the speed and accuracy of Alvarez's counter shots proved to be the difference.
"It means a lot. I wanted to thank Jaime for this opportunity," Alvarez said. "He's a great guy and a great champion and will go on to do very good. All the world was watching us, the Mexicans and I am proud. Viva Mexico!"
CBS Sports was with you throughout the entire way on Saturday with the live results and highlights below.
Fight card, results
Canelo Alvarez (c) def. Jaime Munguia via unanimous decision (117-110, 116-111, 115-112)
Mario Barrios (c) def. Fabian Maidana via unanimous decision (116-111, 116-111, 116-11)
Brandon Figueroa (c) def. Jessie Magdaleno via ninth-round TKO
Eimantas Stanionis (c) def. Gabriel Maestre (117-111, 118-110, 119-109)
- Brian Campbell
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