- Canelo Alvarez invited Munguia to join his September 12 Riyadh card from ringside on Saturday — Munguia and Eddy Reynoso have now accepted in principle.
- Munguia walks in as the WBA 168lb champion, beating Resendiz 119-109, 119-109, 118-110 the night Canelo was supposed to own.
- Luke's call: Canelo–Munguia 2 happens September 12 in Riyadh, Canelo wins on points but it's competitive — and that's exactly what Turki Alalshikh wants.
Right Then — That Escalated Quickly
Right then. Less than 24 hours after Jaime Munguia won the WBA super middleweight title in Las Vegas, the rematch with Canelo Alvarez is properly back on the table — and it sounds like the boxing world has been pushed into action by ringside footage of Canelo standing up at the T-Mobile and physically inviting Munguia onto his September card.
"We'll talk to Munguia and see if he wants to be on my Riyadh card in September," Canelo told Fight Hub TV after the win. He didn't say "fight Munguia." He said "be on my card." That distinction has confused some people. It shouldn't. This is how Canelo announces dance partners now. He floats them publicly, the noise gets loud, the offer hardens, the fight gets made. Make no mistake — Munguia is the September opponent. Reynoso accepting last night confirms it.
What's Actually Been Said
Two pieces of news here. First, Canelo's invite is real and it came from ringside, before anyone in Munguia's camp had even taken the gloves off. Second — and this is the bit that's only landed in the last 12 hours — Munguia's team have responded warmly. Oscar De La Hoya isn't running interference. Reynoso, who shouted instructions all night Saturday from Canelo's old corner, is fully on board. The fact that those two camps share a working relationship has always been the friction in any rematch talk. Today it's an asset, not a problem.
The September 12 card has been built around Canelo's return ever since the elbow surgery wiped out the Cinco de Mayo plan. Turki Alalshikh wanted a marquee Mexican-vs-Mexican date for that weekend. He didn't get it. He's getting it now, on his card, on his stage. The Christian Mbilli rumour is still in play but Mbilli isn't a Mexican brand. Munguia is. Munguia, with a belt, with a 12-round masterclass over Resendiz in the bank, is precisely the sort of upgraded opponent the Riyadh card needs.
Why The First Fight Doesn't Settle This One
Let's not beat around the bush. The first fight, in May 2024, was Canelo. He won 117-111 across the board. He was the levels above. But the version of Munguia who showed up that night was raw, was 27 years old, and had never been past round eight against a top-tier operator. The version of Munguia who outboxed Resendiz on Saturday is a different fighter. He's tighter defensively. He picks his moments. He's stopped chasing knockouts and started taking decisions when they're available.
And the version of Canelo who walks into September is also different. He's coming back from elbow surgery. He'll be 36 in July. The chin is still iron — he hasn't been hurt in years — but the legs aren't what they were three years ago. The Crawford fight in 2024 was tighter than the cards suggested. Bivol made him miserable in 2022 and Charlo made him work in 2023. He's still the best 168lber on Earth. He just isn't the dominant force he was three years ago.
So a rematch isn't a foregone conclusion. It's a real fight. And on a Saudi card, with a properly motivated Munguia, it's a fight Canelo could actually find genuinely competitive — which is exactly why Turki and the broadcasters want it.
What About Benavidez?
Right, the elephant in the room. Benavidez stopped Zurdo last night and called Canelo out from inside the ring. Crowd lost its mind. Canelo, sat ringside, did not move. That fight isn't being made and we all know why — Benavidez is at cruiserweight now, the styles are wrong for Canelo on the wrong night, and Canelo has the leverage to pick. Munguia is the safer fight, the more sellable fight, and the fight Reynoso can manage in the corner of one of the two combatants.
It's not the fight everyone wanted, but it's the fight that's about to get made. The route opened on Saturday; Munguia walked through it on Sunday.
Luke's Pick — Canelo UD, Closer Than People Think
Canelo by unanimous decision in a competitive fight. 116-112 type cards. Munguia gets him to graft for it, lands enough to win three or four rounds, but Canelo's class on the inside in the second half of the fight gets him home. Money pours in on Canelo at 1/4. Munguia walks out as the upgraded Mexican B-side and his own next title shot is a year away.
And if you want a left-field call: if this fight is signed and announced this week, expect Mbilli to be moved to a chief support slot or to find another card entirely. The September Riyadh card just got its Mexican vs Mexican headline back. Brilliant news for Turki. Brilliant news for Munguia. And if you're a Canelo fan, mark the date — September 12, Riyadh — because we're going there again.