Jaime Munguia’s upcoming world title plans hit a massive roadblock that could alter the entire October 31 Riyadh card. The 29-year-old was scheduled to make the first defense of his super middleweight title against Nikita Zon on the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli undercard in Riyadh.
However, that matchup is now in serious doubt after the WBA publicly refused to approve it. The champion appeared to be bypassing his mandatory obligations, but this sudden intervention is forcing “Tatanka’ to either face his official contender or risk losing his belt entirely.
WBA Denies Jaime Munguia vs. Nikita Zon, Names Bektemir Melikuziev Mandatory
Munguia won the title by unanimous decision over Armando Resendiz in May. The WBA immediately ordered him to face Bektemir Melikuziev, giving both sides until Oct. 21 to reach an agreement. However, that deadline falls just 10 days before the Riyadh event.
Instead of negotiating, Munguia’s camp offered Melikuziev financial compensation to wait so they could clear the way for a more manageable fight against Zon, who held a perfect 12-0-1 record. But “Bek the Bully” turned down the money. The 30-year-old Uzbek contender won a final eliminator bout against Darius Fulghum back in May 2025 and has already waited 16 months for his shot at the belt.
Melikuziev has actively pressed the WBA to enforce its own rules, writing on Instagram that he would take the fight for free, penning, “The purse is not important, I am ready to fight for free. But please stop disrespecting me and and the rules of the game! Jaime Mungia, I was the mandatory for the title before you fought for it. You became the champion, respect me just like I would respect you or any other boxer if I was the champion, respect the Wba, respect the fans, they want to see real fight with real competition, not just a fight where everybody knows the outcome before the fight happens!”
View this post on Instagram
The promotional friction became obvious when official event posters listed the Zon matchup only as a vague “WBA Super Middleweight Fight” rather than an actual world title bout. The WBA officially addressed the situation on Friday, shutting down the compromise entirely.
ALSO READ: Barry Hearn Reveals What Could Decide Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua
“The WBA has not approved the Jaime Munguia vs. Nikita Zon bout. Bektemir Melikuziev is the official contender in the super middleweight division. The WBA will review the situation,” the organization wrote.
The WBA has not approved the Jaime Munguia vs. Nikita Zon bout. Bektemir Melikuziev is the official contender in the super middleweight division.
The WBA will review the situation #WBABoxing
— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) October 9, 2026
This situation shows a common problem in boxing. Champions often look for safer fights on big event cards, while boxing organizations struggle to enforce their own rules. Fans saw this play out when undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez gave up his IBF super middleweight title. Instead of facing mandatory challenger William Scull, Alvarez opted for a more profitable fight against Edgar Berlanga.
WBA’s Three Options for Jaime Munguia
The WBA essentially has three paths forward. It can grant Munguia an exception for a voluntary defense with a strict deadline to fight his mandatory challenger next. It can strip Munguia of his title entirely. Or, if both sides fail to reach an agreement after the Oct. 21 deadline, the organization can order an open purse bid. But if Munguia fights Zon without official approval, the WBA will strip him of the title.
The matchup could still go ahead in Riyadh as a non-title fight. However, removing the championship stakes would lower its value on a card built entirely around Alvarez.
Until the WBA finishes its official review, Munguia’s next title defense remains in limbo, and Melikuziev remains the opponent the champion is supposed to fight.
