At the pre-fight press conference, Jaime Munguia and Bruno Surace previewed their bout and went face to face for the first time. The pair battles it out in the main event live on ESPN+ from Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico, on December 14. The contest is scheduled for 10 rounds at super middleweight.
Former super welterweight champion Munguia (44-1, 35 KOs) steps through the ropes in front of his hometown crowd. Making his fourth ring appearance of the year, the 28-year-old Tijuana native targets his second win in a row.
“He is a strong fighter,” Jaime Munguia said about his next opponent. “He throws a lot of combinations. We have to be careful with that. I’ve studied him, and I’m confident of the work that we have done. I will walk away with my hand raised in victory.”
“If I knew in what round I could knock him out, I would bet all of my money on that. But I don’t know. It’s uncertain. I can tell you now with full certainty that I will be looking for the knockout.”
“It’s a big weight on my shoulders to fight in this stadium in front of all my people. It’s going to fill me with a lot of emotions. But I have to control that and do an intelligent fight. And I’m prepared to do that and give a great show to the people.”
“We have to focus on everything. Obviously, we focus on improving my boxing skills, but we also focus on the physical conditioning and the mental aspects.”
‘I know how I will need to box him’
Surace (25-0-2, 4 KOs) of France fights for the first time outside his homeland. Making his international debut, the 26-year-old looks to remain undefeated.
“I have seen many of his fights since he was a junior middleweight,” Bruno Surace said. “He’s an aggressive fighter who fights in the Mexican tradition. We are focused on every detail because the details matter in a big fight. We are ready for a war.”
“I’m very excited to be in his hometown. It’ll be more noise. The ambiance will be great. And the stress is on him.”
“I love this city. The atmosphere is fire. I like the people, and I’m excited to be here.”
“He’s an outstanding fighter. He’s aggressive and very offensive. In the first few rounds, I’ll have to get a lot of information and lay out a plan to fight him. But I’ve also seen many videos of him, and I know how I will need to box him.”
Among the matchups featured on the Munguia vs Surace undercard, Mexico’s Alan Picasso Romero (30-0-1, 16 KOs) faces Isaac Sackey (26-2-2, 21 KOs) of Ghana. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds at super bantamweight.