Jaime Munguia is targeting Christian Mbilli and Hamzah Sheeraz for his next fight in the spring of 2026 in the U.S.
Mbilli Seen as the Front-Runner
WBC interim 168-lb champion Mbilli (29-0-1, 23 KOs) is reportedly the more likely of the two for Munguia.
A Route Toward Crawford’s Belts
A victory over Mbilli would put Jaime in a position to challenge undisputed champion Terence Crawford for his four belts. Even if Crawford were to ignore Munguia, he’ll eventually get a shot at the WBC belt once it’s vacated.
It’s doubtful that Bud will defend against Munguia because it’s not a fight that would bring him a big payday. He got a taste of the big money in his win over Canelo Alvarez, and he’s going to be selective about choosing his next opponent.
Munguia would be dangerous for Crawford because he can punch, has a sturdy chin, and would be unloading pure power that a 38-year-old might have problems with.
Sheeraz Still in the Picture
Munguia “has two options” for his next fight via Salvador Sanchez at ESPN Knockout.
The former WBO junior middleweight champion Munguia (45-2, 35 KOs) is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over Bruno Surace in their rematch earlier this year on May 3. He avenged his sixth-round knockout loss from
Lester Martinez the Backup Plan
The back-up option for Munguia if he fails to get Mbilli or Sheeraz is 168-lb contender Lester Martinez. He’s coming off a 12-round draw against Mbilli on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford event on September 12th.
Mbilli, 30, is already in a position to challenge Crawford for his belts, but he’s not going to be given serious consideration either. He’s too talented for his own game and brings a lot of the same offensive weapons that Munguia would in a fight against Terence. These are real super middleweights, not pumped-up ones.
Mbilli vs. Munguia would be a highly entertaining match, similar to Mbilli’s match against Lester Martinez. The difference is that Munguia wouldn’t use the same pushing off strategy to neutralize Mbilli’s offense that Lester did.
Martinez was pretty blatant with the shoving that he did against Christian, and got away with murder, thanks to referee Allen Huggins’ laissez-faire, hands-off approach to controlling the fouling. Munguia wouldn’t choose to cheat. He would fight Mbilli, and it would come down to which of them was tougher.
Since 2013, James_theGrad has been breaking down boxing’s biggest stories with a mix of sharp analysis, historical insight, and ringside reporting for fans worldwide.
Last Updated on 10/17/2025
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