Jaime Munguia is getting ready to fight Nikita Zon in Riyadh on October 31, but Bektemir Melikuziev is still stuck waiting for the WBA to enforce its own rules. Melikuziev reportedly turned down step-aside cash because he wanted his deserved shot at the belt. Now he risks getting hit with the exact delay he refused to take a check for.

That issue sits right behind the latest training clips floating out of Box Azteca. Munguia is wrapping his hands alongside trainer Eddy Reynoso, grinding through camp while his return date gets closer by the minute. Meanwhile, his number one challenger doesn’t have a clue when his title shot is coming.

The sanctioning body ordered Munguia to face Melikuziev back on September 21, giving both camps until October 21 to strike a deal. Officials pointed out that the mandatory defense window expired on August 30. Once the Zon fight was announced, the WBA posted that it hadn’t approved the bout at all.

It confirmed Melikuziev as the top contender, promising a full review. Yet here we are in late October, with zero public rulings to approve the Riyadh bout, strip the belt, or call a purse bid.

Turning down money to step aside ought to mean something. Melikuziev made it clear he wants the real prize. Letting Munguia cruise ahead without strict conditions gives the champion a pass, leaving the challenger frozen out with nothing to show for standing his ground.

Taking other fights creates real ripple effects. Zon could cause an unexpected cut, a prolonged recovery window, or fresh excuses to stall Melikuziev even longer. Detours like this show that loose promises about future title shots don’t protect anyone.

Missing the October 21 deadline didn’t trigger an automatic stripping, but the original order laid out a purse bid if negotiations crashed. The sanctioning body has a clear procedure ready to go. Leaving fight fans to watch Munguia prep for an unapproved opponent without a formal ruling looks terrible. The WBA needs to order that purse bid right now, or it tells every hungry contender that earning mandatory status means nothing when the champion wants to take a detour.