RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Jaime Munguia marked Cinco de Mayo weekend by getting his career back on track with a revenge victory over Bruno Surace.

It was fewer than six months since Bruno Surace (26-1-2, 5 KOs) produced The Ring's the Upset of the Year with a contender for Knockout of the Year when they first met in Tijuana, Mexico on December 14 2024.

And although he was unable to knock the Frenchman out in their immediate return, he controlled much of the fight and was rewarded with a unanimous decision from the judges. Kieran McCann had it 116-112 while Ron McNair and Howard Foster had it one wider at 117-111.

Munguia (45-2, 35 KOs) said: “It was really important for me to come back from that. More than anything we’ve been working on mentality. Most important was victory to show that Jaime Munguia is here to stay.

“I think it was a great fight. We had a really good opponent in front of us and I hope the fans enjoyed the fight we put on tonight.”

The Mexican and French fans had raised the roof at Friday’s weigh-in, a stone’s throw away from the ANB Arena at the BLVD City Studio. And they both combined to whip up the atmosphere as both fighters made their way to the ring.

‘Brunello’ had celebrated victory that night with a road trip up the west coast of America before returning to France to begin training for the rematch that was triggered almost immediately by Munguia.

He had also spent time in Majorca sparring British welterweight contender Conor Benn while Munguia upped sticks and started training under Eddy Reynoso and alongside Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez who beat him a year ago this month in his challenge for his compatriot's undisputed super-middleweight crown.

Munguia had been quick to point out during fight week that he had been doing plenty right in his initial encounter with Surace before he switched off for a second and got caught, which resulted in the first stoppage defeat of the Mexican’s career. Surace, who climbed off the canvas in the second round to win with that knockout in the sixth, insisted it was no lucky punch and he was well equipped to repeat the trick in the return.

He landed with a good right in an otherwise quiet first round but Munguia did not budge. And there were few signs that the 28-year-old from Tijuana was gun shy as a result of the knockout as he began to apply pressure in the second.

The nature of his victory in the first fight was particularly surprising given Surace’s record of just four stoppages from 25 wins before December 14. But he was a whisker away from landing a big right hand after a crisp double jab in the second by way of a response to Munguia’s attacks. A right hook and a jab was to follow from Surace in a solid third round for the Frenchman. Then, after an even fourth, Surace raised the volume among his noisy travelling support by flexing both his biceps in their direction.

Munguia continued to stomp forward in the fifth and came close with a left hook to the body which landed mainly on Surace’s elbow. But the Frenchman was simply refusing to buckle and had his moments in the round too, with a right hook to the chin, in particular, drawing cheers from his corner.

In the closing stages of the seventh, Munguia produced his most sustained period of success, which started with a left hook which sent Surace back-peddling. Then, right before the bell sounded to end the round, Munguia unloaded on Surace who was pinned in the corner.

Surace was moving well but Munguia just started to close the distance with more authority during the ninth, landing another eye-catching left hook on the ropes. Even so, Surace still managed to find the target with his now-trademark right hook on the bell to end the round.

Chants of ‘Mexico’ went up around the ANB Arena in the 10th and Munguia responded by increasing the pace again. Even so, he could not find a shot to really trouble Surace through 10 or 11.

In the break before the 12th, Munguia stayed standing as Reynoso gave his final instructions of the fight. Out stormed Munguia in search of a stoppage to cap a solid night’s work but it never came as Surace held firm. Even so, the judges ensured that he got back to winning ways by delivering the correct decision.

Munguia said: “We are ready for anyone at 168lbs now; Edgar Berlanga, Caleb Plant… we are ready for any of them.”