RIYADH — A world title fight scheduled for the upcoming Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez versus Christian Mbilli card has been thrown into doubt after the WBA confirmed it has not approved the proposed co-main event between Jaime Munguia and Nikita Zon.
The WBA issued a formal statement clarifying that Bektemir Melikuziev remains the official mandatory contender in the super-middleweight division. The sanctioning body stated it is currently reviewing the situation, effectively stalling the bout. This intervention follows reports that Melikuziev has declined a step-aside deal from Team Munguia, with the Uzbek fighter publicly calling for the champion to honour his mandatory obligations.
Should the WBA maintain its refusal to sanction the contest, Munguia faces the prospect of either vacating the belt he won five months ago or being removed from the Riyadh event to face Melikuziev. This regulatory hurdle adds to existing uncertainty surrounding the card, which is also facing scrutiny regarding the regional security situation in Saudi Arabia.
The broader ‘Mexico vs The World’ event remains scheduled to feature Rafael Espinoza defending his WBO featherweight title against Lorenzo Parra, alongside a vacant IBF super-lightweight title clash between Lindolfo Delgado and Artur Biyarslanov. The status of Munguia's participation remains a significant point of contention following his previous title ultimatum.