Jaime Munguia overcame a slow start and then dropped Jimmy ‘Kilrain’ Kelly three times on route to a fifth round knockout win at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday.
Munguia (40-0, 32 KOs) had become somewhat stale, with a move to middleweight after a spell as WBO super welterweight champion a frustrating one. Without a world title shot at 160 pounds, the 25-year-old weighed in at a catchweight 165lbs for this assignment, against former world title challenger, Kelly (26-3, 10 KOs), who had been stopped by Liam Smith way back in 2015 in an unsuccessful bid for Munguia’s old belt.
It was a slow start here for the Mexican, who looked sluggish in the early going, where Kelly shaded the opener with decent body work.
The Englishman then landed with a big left hook in the second that rocked the favourite, who struggled to get into a rhythm.
He did let his hands go in the third, but the visitor regained the initiative in the fourth, countering and boxing with confidence.
Munguia carries power though, and quickly turned the fight on its head in round five. A huge left hook drove the 29-year-old backwards and to the canvas.
He beat the count, but was quickly on the deck again from a well-timed uppercut. Again, the count was beaten, but Kelly was on unsteady legs, and he was put down for a third time from a flurry of shots.
The Manchester native bravely attempted to beat the count, but this time the referee had seen enough.
Jaime Munguía FINISHES Jimmy Kelly 💥#DAZNRingside #MunguíaKelly pic.twitter.com/W6rJZXIua3
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 12, 2022
Munguia indicated he would be happy to take opportunities at middleweight and super middleweight, and called out WBC middleweight champion, Jermall Charlo post-fight.
“I want to say what Oscar [De La Hoya] said to Jermall Charlo,” Munguia told DAZN.
🗣 ‘Show some balls & fight me.’
Jaime Munguía calls out Charlo 👀 pic.twitter.com/DOsA1z1UOp
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 12, 2022
“To come out here. Show some balls and stop hiding behind Al Haymon and fight me.
“I think it would be a great fight for everyone. For all the people and for all of boxing as well.”
Valle retains IBF world title
World title action on the card came at minimum weight, where Yokasta Valle (25-2, 9 KOs) successfully defended her IBF crown for a fifth time with a landslide points win over the inexperienced Lorraine Villalobos (5-4, 2 KOs).
All three judges scored the contest 100-90 for the champion.
A 5th successful IBF Minimumweight title defense for Yokasta Valle 👑#MunguíaKelly pic.twitter.com/QDIKoohN57
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 12, 2022
Remaining Undercard
There was an upset in the scheduled eight rounder at super welterweight, where Carlos Ortiz Cervantes (13-5, 13 KOs) dropped and stopped Evan Anthony Sanchez (11-1, 6 KOs) in the fifth round of their meeting.
At super lightweight, Oscar Duarte Jurado (23-1-1, 18 KOs) took an eighth round stoppage win against Mark Bernaldez (23-6, 17 KOs), and at middleweight, a body shot ended matters in the first frame, as Carlos Ocampo (34-1, 22 KOs) took care of Vicente Martin Rodriguez (40-11-1, 21 KOs).
Oscar Duarte gets his KO win 💥#MunguíaKelly pic.twitter.com/3J29URg6Bw
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 12, 2022
Alejandro Reyes (8-0, 5 KOs) remained unbeaten, stopping Moises Flores (25-7-1, 17 KOs) in two rounds, and Japhethlee Llamido (8-0, 3 KOs) also stayed undefeated, dropping Saul Eduardo Hernandez (17-16-1, 12 KOs) in the fourth on the way to a six round points win.
Jorge Estrada Ramirez (3-0, 3 KOs) needed less than two minutes to dispatch debutant Hassan Coleman (0-1) at super welterweight.
