A revenge-driven win by Jaime Munguia is now at risk of being nullified.
jeetwin68.com has confirmed that the former WBO junior middleweight titlist tested for a banned substance surrounding his May 4 win over Bruno Surace. Tijuana’s Munguia, 45-2 (35 KOs) was credited with a unanimous decision win over France’s Surace, 26-1-2 (5 KOs) in their 12-round super middleweight bout on May 4 (local time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
However, a post-fight urinalysis revealed an adverse finding of exogenous testosterone from testing contracted through Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). Munguia now has 10 days from the date of notice to request the testing of his B-sample.
Absent proof of contamination or a different result produced by the B-sample – the latter an extremely rare scenario – Munguia now faces a likely suspension and fine, along with his victory changed to a No-Contest. The verdict change would also restore Surace’s previously unbeaten record.
News of the development was first reported by Ring Magazine, owned by Turki Alalshikh who presented the Riyadh Season event headlined by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s win over William Scull to become a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion.
Munguia previously suffered a sixth-round knockout loss to Surace last December 14 at home in Tijuana. The unlikely feat was recognized by BoxingScene as the 2024 Upset of the Year.
Both sides eventually agreed to terms for their rematch after a brief hiccup in such talks. The sequel moved to Riyadh, and Munguia linked up with new trainer Eddy Reynoso, best known for his career-long work with Alvarez.
Munguia was winning until he wasn’t in their first fight but offered a more disciplined performance in their rematch. Judges Howard Foster (117-111), Ron McNair (117-111) and Kieran McCann (116-112) all had Munguia winning by a comfortable margin.
The drug testing result now casts a cloud over the feat, as Munguia will have to appear before the British Boxing Board of Control, the presiding commission for the event.
It will leave the 28-year-old super middleweight contender with just one win in his last four starts.
Seven months prior to the abovementioned knockout defeat to Surace, Munguia was floored and outpointed by Alvarez in a failed undisputed super middleweight championship bid last May 4 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The loss was his first as a pro, though bookended by stoppage wins over John Ryder and then-unbeaten Erik Bazinyan as part of an active 2024 campaign.
Munguia previously held the WBO junior middleweight title from May 2018-December 2019. He managed to cram a title win and five successful defenses in a 16-month span but has yet to replicate that success in his respective campaigns at middleweight and super middleweight.
The rematch with Surace marked Munguia’s seventh overall above the middleweight limit and sixth straight since he moved up to 168lbs two years ago.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on and .