Jaime Munguia beats Sadam Ali to become WBO super-welterweight champion
Rey Vargas retains world title in chief support bout
Sunday 13 May 2018 15:00, UK
Jaime Munguia stopped Sadam Ali in four rounds to be crowned WBO super-welterweight world champion.
The unbeaten Mexican had the holder in all sorts of trouble from the start of the fight at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, in Verona, USA, on Saturday night.
Ali, who took the title from Miguel Cotto in his final fight, was knocked down twice in the opening round, felled again in the second and once more in the fourth, when his first defence came to an end.
Munguia, from Tijuana, showed his power and precision in brutal fashion, taking his record to 29-0-KO25 with a fearsome 89 per cent KO ratio, and joins compatriots Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (2016) and Alfredo Angulo (2010) as the only Mexicans to win the WBO belt at 154lbs.
Munguia said: "This victory is something huge for me. This is a dream come true. Every fighter dreams of this.
"I want to thank the Nevada Commission for making this opportunity possible as they didn't allow me to fight Gennady Golovkin. I want to show that I am ready to fight at the highest level and with the best fighters."
Another Mexican, Rey Vargas, held on to his WBC super-bantamweight belt, seeing off Armenian challenger Azat Hovhannisyan via unanimous decision.
The experienced champion had to deal with constant pressure from 'Crazy A' but was rarely in trouble, easing to his third successful defence with all three judges giving it to him by comfortable margins: 118-110, 116-111 and 117-111.
Vargas said: "I'm very happy. This was a tough opponent, though he fights dirty and has his bad habits. He head-butted me a lot.
"It was important that I first take care of my head in this fight and then of course land my punches. Right now, it's time for me to rest and leave the decisions to my managers."
