Munguia Survives Scare Against Zon on Canelo-Mbilli Card in Riyadh

Jaime Munguia kept his WBA super middleweight title in Riyadh on Saturday, winning a unanimous decision over Nikita Zon after being badly hurt in the sixth round, according to The Ring and Bad Left Hook. The fight was the last bout before the main event, in which Canelo Alvarez challenged Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight belt at Kingdom Arena.

The Ring reported scorecards of 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112, all for Munguia. Bad Left Hook listed the same totals. Both outlets described a closer fight than the cards suggest, with Munguia needing a strong second half to take control.

How Munguia got through a tougher-than-expected defense

The Ring wrote that Munguia, who is Mexican, survived a far harder test than most had expected in the first defense of his title. Tension showed early. In the first round, Zon, a Russian southpaw, punched during a clinch, and Munguia answered with a left hook as referee Tony Weeks stepped in. Both fighters received warnings.

Munguia hurt Zon with a right hand in the fifth round, according to The Ring, but Zon held on to the bell. The sixth round was the turning point. Zon landed a counter left uppercut that sent Munguia stumbling to the ropes and followed with a flurry. Bad Left Hook said Munguia went down but the referee ruled it a push. The Ring said Munguia weathered the storm as Zon punched himself out, then hit back with a flurry of his own. The Ring called it a contender for round of the year.

From there, both outlets said, Munguia took over. The Ring reported that Zon, who entered the ninth round for the first time in his career, grew sloppy and tired. Munguia landed hard body shots and a looping right hand. Bad Left Hook said Zon was exhausted by the 12th round and could not sustain offense. That outlet's own scoring gave Munguia most of the rounds, though it edged the sixth and eighth for Zon.

Bad Left Hook said Munguia always seems vulnerable even when ahead, which it described as part of what makes him an exciting fighter. The Ring said the win moved the World team to a 5-3 lead, after Mexico earned its second straight win. The sources do not explain the format of that team scoring.

What it means for the super middleweight division

For fans, the result sets up Munguia's next opponent. The Ring ranks Munguia No. 5 at super middleweight and said he has obligations to meet before any unification fights. The WBA has ordered him to face Bektemir Melikuziev, an Uzbek southpaw with a record of 17-1 and 11 knockouts. The Ring's Mike Coppinger reported on the DAZN broadcast that a deal is in place for that fight in early 2027.

The Ring described Melikuziev as a much harder challenge than Zon. It said the division is beginning to change, with newly crowned champions and emerging contenders.

The main event and the next challenger

The Ring said the Alvarez-Mbilli bout would run 12 rounds and stream on DAZN pay-per-view and through the DAZN Ultimate Plan. Bad Left Hook noted that Alvarez had not fought since losing to Terence “Bud” Crawford 13 months earlier. Mbilli had not fought since that same card, where he drew with Lester Martinez.

Martinez was in the arena and said on the DAZN broadcast that he wants to face the winner of the main event. According to The Ring, he holds the interim WBC super middleweight title and is 21-0-1 with 17 knockouts. The Ring also ranks him No. 5 at super middleweight and said a fight with the winner could well happen.

Earlier on Around Prague: Canelo Alvarez Faces Unbeaten Christian Mbilli for WBC Title in Riyadh

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Ring, Bad Left Hook