This Saturday, December 14th, Top Rank Boxing brings us a super middleweight bout live from Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico. Hometown hero Jaime Munguia takes on France’s unbeaten Bruno Surace in a 10-round main event streaming live on ESPN+ at 9pm ET/6pm PT.
Let’s cut Munguia (44-1, 35 KOs) is on a redemption arc after his 2024 was as bumpy as a Tijuana street. Sure, he started the year with a ninth-round demolition of John Ryder, but then came the Canelo Alvarez fight in May — a big-ticket bout where Munguia hit the canvas and walked away with a loss of unanimous decision. Credit where it’s due, he bounced back in September with a 10 round knockout against Erik Bazinyan, but let’s face it: Bazinyan wasn’t exactly the stuff of nightmares.
Next up is Bruno Surace (25-0-2, 4 KOs). The Frenchman might be undefeated, but with only four knockouts, he doesn’t exactly scare the heavyweights. Surace’s claim to fame? Beating Milos Jankovic and Jhon Jader Obregon. WHO? Exactly. This fight is Surace’s first big jump on the international stage. Can it handle the heat, or will it fold faster than a cheap lawn chair?
While Munguia is the clear favorite, this matchup is not without intrigue. It’s a chance for Surace to show he’s more than an unbeaten record stuffed with soft touches. For Munguia, it’s all about keeping his name relevant and maybe landing another blockbuster fight in 2025.
As for the ESPN+ broadcast, the irony of hyping this as a “super average matchup” is not lost on us. But hey, maybe Munguia will land another defeat, or maybe Surace will upset us all – stranger things have happened.
Key details:
- Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024
- Time: 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT
- Location: Caliente Stadium, Tijuana, Mexico
- Live: Live on ESPN+
Fighter Profiles
Jaime Munguia (44-1, 35 KOs)
- years old: 28
- Hometown: Tijuana, Mexico
- Achievements: Former world junior middleweight champion.
- Recent Fights:
- win – KO vs. John Ryder (January 2024).
- Loss – UD vs Canelo Alvarez (May 2024).
- win – KO vs. Erik Bazinyan (Sep 2024).
- Key Strengths: Power fists, hometown support, experience in big fights.
Bruno Surace (25-0-2, 4 KOs)
- years old: 26
- Hometown: France
- Achievements: Unbeaten record, weighing on the international stage.
- Recent Fights:
- win – UD vs Milos Jankovic (May 2023).
- win – YOU vs. Jhon Jader Obregon (Dec 2023).
- Key Strengths: Discipline, strong fundamentals, built-in confidence.
- Key Weaknesses: Lack of knockout power.
