Bektemir Melikuziev accused Jaime Munguia of refusing their ordered WBA super middleweight title fight, writing on Instagram Thursday morning that he had accepted concessions on preparation, drug testing, and pay to secure his mandatory shot.
His complaint came before news of Munguia’s proposed October 31 fight against Nikita Zon on the Canelo Alvarez–Christian Mbilli card in Riyadh. Melikuziev’s account raises a question for the champion’s team: what is preventing the mandatory defense if the challenger has accepted everything asked of him?
“I agreed to fight Jaime Munguia on short notice, without a proper training camp. I agreed to fight without VADA testing, even though we have always insisted on it. I even agreed to accept the lowest possible purse or no purse at all,” Melikuziev wrote on Instagram.
“We made every concession possible to make this fight happen. And yet, my team has now informed me that Munguia is still refusing to fight me.”
Those are Melikuziev’s claims about the negotiations. His willingness to accept those terms does not establish that an agreement was completed, but it puts pressure on Munguia’s team to explain why another opponent is being pursued.
“So I have one simple question: Why hasn’t a purse bid been ordered? And if the champion refuses to fulfill his mandatory obligation, why hasn’t he been stripped of his title?” Melikuziev wrote.
The WBA gave the teams until October 21 to negotiate, so that deadline has not yet expired. However, Melikuziev is asking the organization to act if Munguia is refusing the ordered defense while pursuing another opponent.
“Stop acting as if there is no mandatory and no rules,” Melikuziev wrote.
Later Thursday, the WBA announced that it had not approved Munguia–Zon and reaffirmed Melikuziev’s status as the official challenger.
Melikuziev further alleged that Munguia wanted more money to face him and offered to stage the fight in Uzbekistan with additional funding. That financial account remains his version of events.
For Munguia, scheduling Zon does not resolve the mandatory. Melikuziev says he has removed every obstacle on his side. Munguia’s team now faces the question of what remains on theirs.