Boxing star Jaime Munguia is reportedly attempting to clear the path for a stay-busy fight rather than immediately addressing his governing body obligations. Following recent directives from the World Boxing Association (WBA) ordering matchups such as Teofimo Lopez versus Jack Catterall and Jaime Munguia versus long-overdue mandatory challenger Bektemir Melikuziev, Munguia’s promotional team appears to be pursuing alternative routes for the fighter’s next appearance inside the squared circle.
According to reports from boxing journalist Salvador Rodriguez, Munguia is actively negotiating a step-aside agreement with "Bek the Bully" Melikuziev. Should the financial and contractual arrangements fall into place, Munguia intends to bypass the mandatory defense for the time being and instead face Keiber Gonzalez in his next bout. This targeted matchup would presumably land on an upcoming, heavily anticipated Canelo Alvarez card scheduled to take place in just three weeks, providing the undercard with a recognizable name, even if the competitive integrity of the main pairing’s supporting bouts leaves room for debate.
Throughout his career, Munguia, holding a formidable professional record of 46 wins with 2 losses and 35 knockouts, has occasionally crossed paths with questionable or heavily outmatched opposition. However, the selection of Venezuela’s Keiber Gonzalez represents a stark regression in the caliber of competition. Gonzalez enters the picture with a record of 23 wins, 1 loss, and 20 knockouts, but his resume is largely devoid of high-level victories against top-tier contenders.
Ranked deeply down the charts at a generous no. 106 by BoxRec, the 32-year-old Gonzalez is effectively a large middleweight who suffered a wide, decisive defeat to Cesar Mateo Tapia during his lone fight of consequence two years ago. While he has traveled extensively across South America and neighboring regions—accumulating victories against unheralded journeymen in venues located in Curacao, Colombia, and Mexico—Gonzalez offers virtually nothing in terms of a legitimate test for a fighter of Munguia’s stature and championship ambitions.
Critics of the proposed matchup note that Munguia hardly finds himself in a position where he requires a soft touch to shake off ring rust. The Mexican contender cruised past Armando Resendiz just five months ago in a dominant performance. Furthermore, that bout with Resendiz itself followed a lengthy year-long layoff for Munguia. Observers point out that there is no sporting or competitive justification for taking on an opponent of Gonzalez’s tier outside of straightforward record-padding and risk-averse matchmaking.
The willingness of Munguia’s team to potentially invest a substantial sum—likely ranging well into five or six figures—to secure a step-aside agreement for a heavily lopsided 50/50 opponent highlights a recurring trend within modern boxing matchmaking, where established contenders frequently seek to protect their ranking and marketability by avoiding dangerous mandatories for as long as regulatory bodies will permit. This defensive matchmaking strategy has drawn sharp criticism from analysts and fans alike who wish to see the division’s best face off without prolonged bureaucratic delays.
For his part, Bektemir Melikuziev appears entirely uninterested in stepping aside to accommodate Munguia’s detour. Melikuziev, boasting a record of 17 wins, 1 loss, and 11 knockouts, has made it clear through social media channels and reports that he is holding firm on his position, stating that he has no interest in delaying his championship opportunity any further.
While fighters in mandatory positions sometimes engage in hard-bargaining tactics to drive up step-aside fees, the context of Melikuziev’s situation makes his resistance entirely believable. He has waited a considerable length of time for the title opportunity he is rightfully owed by the WBA. Boxing observers and purists are firmly hoping that Melikuziev stays steadfast in his refusal to step aside, pushing the sanctioning body to enforce its rules and ensure that mandatory challengers finally receive the bouts they have earned inside the ring.
