WBO junior middleweight champion Jamie Munguia, left, and his Sep. 15 opponent, Brandon Cook, in Las Vegas (Photo: Hogan Photos – Golden Boy Promotions)

By Chris Robinson

On Tuesday afternoon in Las Vegas, we saw the grand arrival of WBO junior middleweight champion Jamie Munguia and his forthcoming opponent, Canadian Brandon Cook. Munguia (30-0, 25 KO’s) and Cook (20-1, 13 KO’s) will face off inside of the T-Mobile Arena on HBO pay per view this Saturday night while serving as a chief support to the rematch between WBA/WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and former two-division champion Canelo Alvarez.

Munguia broke out earlier this year by stopping former champion Sadam Ali to capture his title in May and had a successful defense this past July in Las Vegas, as he scored a unanimous decision victory over Liam Smith. The 21-year old is happy to be back in such a short time for a second defense of his belt.

“I’m very happy for the support that I’m getting from the fans,” said Munguia. “I feel they are drawn to me because of my style of fighting and because they know I like to give a great show to the fans. Right now, it’s just about maintaining weight and preparing for the weigh-in. I know Cook is tough and difficult fighter, but you’re going to see a more relaxed and concentrated Jaime Munguia this Saturday.”

In Cook, Munguia is facing a tough contender who is relishing the opportunity.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” said Cook of his first title shot. “Two fights had gotten cancelled. This is a huge opportunity for my team. I didn’t come here to get paid, I came here to fight. Munguia’s tough. I was running this morning, and I saw him running, so I know he’s preparing well. This is one of the toughest challenges of my life. This is it, and I can’t wait. I’m going to be his toughest opponent to date.”

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Chris Robinson can be reached at CRobinson@hustleboss.com