Bruno Serace Scores Upset Of The Year, Knocks Out Jaime Munguia

If you’ve ever wondered why boxing is often called the “theater of the unexpected,” let us present the evidence: Munguia vs Serace.

In a stunning turn of events in what was supposed to be a harmless victory lap for super middleweight Jaime Munguia for his hometown fans in Tijuana, Mexico, obscure French opponent Bruno Serace delivered the Upset of the Year, clocking Munguia with a single right hook to stop Munguia and score the knockout victory at 2:37 of the sixth round.

It’s nearly impossible in words to convey the shock. We present the video highlights.

“I know that he is an excellent boxer. So, we worked on our counter punches,” said Surace after the victory. “He is a true warrior. I want to thank him for the opportunity. This was a big experience for me.”

It was a surprise when Munguia of Tijuana, Mexico (44-2, 35 KOs) announced the fight, intended as a victory lap shared with fans. It would end a busy 2024 campaign with four fights: stoppage wins over John Ryder and Erik Bazinyan, and a competitive loss to Canelo Alvarez. He stopped Bazinyan in 10 rounds in September, four months after his valiant 12-round battle against Canelo. It would be Munguia’s first fight in Tijuana since February 2022.

Bruno Serace celebrates his unexpected victory. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Surace of Marseille, France (26-0-2, 5 KOs) was a virtual unknown in Mexico or in the United States. He was undefeated with 22 straight wins after a pair of early-career draws. It would be his first fight outside France, a year after his most significant win last December, a 12th-round TKO over the previously undefeated Jhon Jader Obregon.

But as Surace had only four knockouts in 27 fights and none since 2019 against club-level fighters with losing records (5-23,2, 11-22, and 15-39-3; we can’t make this up), how much of a threat could he pose?

Before the fight, Munguia said, “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.”

Serace expressed all the confidence in the world, not surprising for any opponent.
“We are focused on every detail because the details matter in a big fight. We are ready for a war,” said Serace, who said he was excited to fight Munguia in his hometown. “The ambiance will be great. And the stress is on him.” How right Serace turned out to be.

Jaime Munguia Off To Strong Start

It seemed the script would play out as planned. After a solid opening round by Serace, Munguia caught his opponent with a hard left hook, dropping Serace hard on the canvas. Serace made it to his feet and made it out of the round. How much longer would he last?

Surprisingly, Serace carried on. He wasn’t especially competitive, but he wasn’t embarrassing himself. Munguia didn’t seem to be in a hurry to end things. He visibly eased off in round five. Did this signal he would double down and end things?

Stunning Outcome for Bruno Serace

Bruno Serace dropped Jaime Munguia with a single perfect right hook. Photo: Top Rank Boxing

The sixth round was uneventful until a single punch changed both fighters’ evening and future.

With 37 seconds left in the round, Munguia briefly dropped his hands, and Serace capitalized on the mistake with a solid right hook, snapping Munguia’s head and sending him to the canvas. Munguia could not beat the referee’s count, and the 2024 Upset of the Year concluded at 2:37 of the round.

The fans at Estadio Caliente fell silent. Mexican all-time great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., commentating on the fight for TV Azteca, couldn’t hide the shock on his face.

Jaime Munguia left the stadium under his own power after the shocking knockout loss. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Munguia made it to his corner and left the ring without comment. Serace was declared the winner, with little reaction from the still shell-shocked Mexican fans. As he left the ring, he stopped to meet Chavez Sr., who shook hands and took a selfie with Serace. He will treasure it more than a belt.

Future for Serace and Munguia

Bruno Serace and Jaime Munguia face a very different future. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank

Serace will now have options. Speculation he would now be offered a matchup with super middleweight kingpin Canelo Alvarez seemed improbable, but so did Serace’s victory. Before the fight, Draft Kings had Serace listed as a +1200 underdog and a KO/TKO victory as a +2200 bet. Munguia was a -2500 favorite.

“Middleweight is my true weight class. But we’ll see if {a rematch} can happen,” suggested Serace.

Munguia was in the Fight of the Year for 2023. He had an outstanding 2024 after being signed by Top Rank, and who improved his stock with a solid performance in a loss against Alvarez, will now face a serious career rebuilding.