Jaime Munguia gave Bektemir Melikuziev loads of causes to smile after surviving Nikita Zon. The WBA tremendous middleweight champ took a brutal beating in spherical six in opposition to a handpicked challenger. If he places on one other displaying like that, he might simply drop his belt to the necessary challenger he pushed apart.
Munguia walked away with a unanimous choice win on October 31. These large scorecards coated up simply how shut that voluntary protection got here to falling aside. Zon rocked him badly, compelled him into pure survival mode, then put obtrusive defensive lapses on show. A vicious physique puncher like Melikuziev can do severe harm with these precise openings. Munguia had already acquired approval to face Zon as an alternative of Melikuziev.
Bek accepted the step apart deal whereas protecting his standing intact. Beneath WBA guidelines, purse bids or negotiations kick off proper after the Zon conflict. Melikuziev should come subsequent. Taking anybody else requires particular permission, or Munguia will get stripped.
That actuality turns his quick path into an actual headache. The tune-up selection nearly completed him. Until Munguia immediately reveals footwork and self-discipline he has not displayed in 49 professional fights, Bek has the type and energy to cease him.
Munguia’s choices to bypass Melikuziev are nearly utterly dried up.One other step-aside deal is basically off the desk. Melikuziev made it clear he solely agreed to let the Zon struggle occur below strict WBA circumstances guaranteeing he will get the following shot. Bek desires the belt and the standing, not one other examine to take a seat on the shelf.
A unification seems to be equally unrealistic proper now. The opposite main belts at 168 kilos are tied up or chasing far larger paydays. Until a rare unification supply lands out of nowhere to grant WBA sanctioning exception guidelines, the sanctioning physique has backed Munguia into a direct necessary protection.
Vacating is essentially the most lifelike escape route if his staff decides the chance outweighs the reward. Taking a 50-50 struggle in opposition to a harmful physique puncher for normal necessary cash makes little enterprise sense for him. Dropping the strap lets him defend his marketability, keep away from Bek, and hunt for safer, larger cash names with out sanctioning physique stress.
If Munguia chooses to maintain the belt, he has to face Bek subsequent, and that matchup favors Melikuziev in nearly each stylistic division.
Melikuziev has each instrument wanted to recreate that bother. Zon is a southpaw, similar to Bek, however Melikuziev rips ferocious hooks to the ribs. Munguia can not merely shell up on the ropes to attend issues out.
