Jaime Munguia’s meteoric rise in the boxing world hit a devastating roadblock Saturday night, as the former junior middleweight champion suffered a stunning sixth-round knockout loss to Bruno Surace in Tijuana, Mexico. The bout, intended to be a straightforward tune-up for Munguia, instead became one of the biggest upsets in recent boxing history.
Surace, an unheralded Frenchman fighting outside of his home country for the first time, capitalized on a fatigued Munguia with a perfectly timed overhand right that ended the fight. Munguia, who entered as a heavy -2500 favorite, had dropped Surace early in Round 2 and appeared to be in control, but Surace’s resilience allowed him to stage an unexpected comeback, culminating in a career-defining knockout.
For Munguia, this marks his second loss in three fights, raising questions about his future as a super middleweight contender. Despite a valiant rebound win against Erik Bazinyan in September, the 28-year-old now finds himself reeling after a year that started with a lopsided decision loss to Canelo Alvarez.
Ranked No. 3 by ESPN at 168 pounds, Munguia’s hopes of an interim title fight against Christian Mbilli now seem uncertain, with a rematch against Surace potentially becoming the next logical step. Meanwhile, Surace’s victory, only his ninth over a winning-record opponent, cements his status as the sport’s newest Cinderella story.
For Munguia, the path forward demands reflection and reinvention—questions abound whether this loss signals the twilight of his career or simply a crossroads.
