By Rafael Soto

The memories of when Erik "Terrible" Morales came back from the United States with his first world champion belts came inescapable.

The promoter is the same, Fernando Beltran, president of Zanfer Promotions.

In 1997, Erik conquered the green belt at super bantamweight after knocking out the legendary Daniel Zaragoza in 11 emotional rounds in September 1997 in El Paso, Texas.

This Monday it was Fernando's turn to accompany the press of Tijuana and neighboring areas to the new WBO super welterweight world champion, the new pride of Tijuana, Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs).

As expected, the undefeated 21-year-old received a great reception as the champion and in a meeting with the press at a local restaurant.

Hhe said that the only thing that is in his plans is to train, reach the top and fight with better opponents - mentioning Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. And he also named Gennady Golovkin, with whom he was about to face on May 5.

Munguia was accompanied by his father and the boxing family of Tijuana, which was joined by former champion Julio César Chávez.

The new champion would like to defend the title in a great function in the baseball stadium Toros de Tijuana.

His promoter Beltrán intervened immediately and informed that he will look for Jaime to make an optional defense in July and at the Gasmart stadium.

"We have the mandatory fight with Liam Smith, but we will look for an opportunity to make a defense in July before his people in Tijuana," said Zanfer's president.

Beltrán pointed out that Jaime is the 54th champion of his company and that no other company in Latin America has that number.

He added that the coronation of Munguía was no surprise because although they accepted the contest with Sadam Ali only two weeks before the fight, the Tijuana boxer had a long time training camp and was waiting for an opportunity like this that he took advantage of.

Munguia traveled to Verona, New York and knocked Ali down four times for a TKO victory in the fourth round to win the WBO belt last Saturday.