It will be a party in Las Vegas when Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia celebrate Cinco de Mayo weekend with an all-Mexican showdown on May 4. Canelo will be defending his status as the undisputed super middleweight champion.
Canelo is a pound-for-pound great who only needed 11 months to consolidate all the belts at 168 pounds. The 33-year-old boxer-puncher has competed multiple times on Cinco de Mayo, and this will be Munguia's first appearance on the popular holiday weekend.
“An all-Mexican championship showdown on Cinco de Mayo weekend between two guys with immense pride for their country and at the top of their games – it doesn’t get any better for the sport of boxing,” De La Hoya said via PBC.
WATCH: Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia, live on DAZN
Canelo has not fought a fighter of Mexican descent since he outpointed Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2017. Before that was Alfredo Angulo in 2014. Many hoped that Canelo would fight David Benavidez, but Munguia is unbeaten in 43 starts and he's a worthy challenger.
“I think this fight with Jaime [Munguia] will be very important for Mexico. Two Mexicans on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas, everybody watching us,” Canelo said to Fight Hub TV via Boxing News 24. “I think it’s big for Mexico, and I love being involved in these kinds of fights. I’m proud to give Jaime Munguia the opportunity.”
The Sporting News looks into the significance of Cinco de Mayo in boxing.
What is Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday in Mexico that celebrates the country's victory over the French in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla.
The holiday is much more popular in the United States as it is associated with celebrating Mexican-American culture. Today, it generates massive sales of beer in the U.S.
It is not Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated in September.
Why does Canelo Alvarez fight on Cinco de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo has hosted several fight nights featuring some of the top fighters in the world.
Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez competed on that weekend, as did Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Oscar De La Hoya fought multiple times on Cinco de Mayo, the biggest being a money-spinning showdown with Mayweather.
Canelo has since taken the mantle of Mexican fighters competing on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Since 2010, he has fought on the early May date nine times, with Munguia being his tenth. Among the opponents Canelo has competed against on Cinco de Mayo are Chavez Jr., Daniel Jacobs, Dmitry Bivol and John Ryder.
Why is there boxing on Cinco de Mayo?
While Chavez fought on Cinco de Mayo weekend, it wasn’t popularized as a traditional event until Oscar De La Hoya fought six times during the holiday in six years.
De La Hoya wanted to take advantage of the holiday and the calendar and give boxing fans something to look forward to. The majority of fight nights on Cinco de Mayo take place in Las Vegas.
MORE: Who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world?
"To be honest, my hope was for it to become what it has become," De La Hoya told ESPN. "I wanted to make it a celebration. I wanted it to be a party and an excuse for boxing fans and non-boxing fans to come out to Vegas and enjoy a great fight and enjoy a great weekend with your friends or family and celebrate.”
"I just figured we have St. Patrick's Day, where everyone wears green and drinks beer, and we have the Fourth of July in the United States, where everyone barbecues and drinks beer. So why not have a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the United States where everyone can watch a great fight and drink beer? It's a holiday you can celebrate if you're Mexican, American, white, black, purple or green. Everybody flies out from all over the country for this weekend.”