Victorian boxer Michael Zerafa said Mexican Jaime Munguia “does a lot of things wrong” as he considers a fight offer from the former world champion.
Zerafa is expected to decide in the coming days whether to take the fight with Munguia (39-0), a former WBO junior middleweight champion, or take on either top-ranked IBF fighter Esquiva Falcão or even Gennadiy Golovkin, although the latter is considered the least likely.
Having previously flagged a potential world title fight in Melbourne against Falcão, Zerafa now appears likely to head overseas for his next bout.
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“We’ve got offers from everywhere,” Zerafa told Wide World of Sports.
“We’re number two in the world in the IBF, number three in the WBA, and now Munguia, who’s ranked in the WBO, has put an official offer out to fight me in America.
“I’ve also got potential opponents with GGG and Falcão. We’re in a very good position, with three huge potential fights.
“It’s an awesome position.”
Zerafa said he’ll consider his options with his team over the weekend, but conceded a potential world title fight against Falcão isn’t necessarily his preferred option.
“We’re open to anything that benefits us moving forward,” he said.
“Whether it’s a world title shot or not, the money has to make sense.
“There’s three good offers, so we’ll sit down now and work out which one’s the best.”
“If it was up to me I’d jump on a plane tonight and fight him, I’m keen for the Munguia fight,” he added.
“I believe I can beat him, I’ve seen him a few times, he fought a fellow Aussie in Dennis Hogan (in 2019), and I though Hogan won that fight.
“There’s a lot of things he does wrong that I think we can capitalise on.”
Pressed as to what Munguia’s weaknesses were, Zerafa explained that he expected to have the upper hand.
“His defence isn’t the best, he relies on his power too much,” he noted.
“He just tries to walk forward, he doesn’t have the best footwork.
“I’ve fought a lot of fighters like that and beaten them. They’re quite easy to beat. Respectfully, he’s a good fighter, a world class fighter, a former world champion, but he’s human, he’s beatable.”
Zerafa said he didn’t care where the fight took place – “I’ll fight him in my backyard if I have to” – but reiterated his desire to bring a world title fight to Australia at some point.
The 30-year-old demolished Issac Hardman in his most recent fight, in Melbourne in April, and said he was straight back into training, including going for an 8km run the very next day.
“Yeah, that’s 100 per cent true,” he laughed.
“I haven’t had a day off since. Not one day. We went to the after party, got to bed about 4am, and I was up by 8am and back at the gym by lunchtime.
“We move forward. People were saying, ‘You fought yesterday.’
“That’s right, that was yesterday. I’m onto something bigger and better now, it’s time to train even harder.
“I’m in my prime, at my peak, physically and mentally and I want to grab the chance with both hands.”
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