Jaime Munguia, who "avoided" Bektemir, speaks openly about his dramatic fight against Nikita Zon

WBA super middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia gave an honest assessment of his performance after a complex and unexpectedly dramatic clash against Russia's Nikita Zon.

The Mexican star, who retained his belt by a unanimous decision (116-112, 117-111, 117-111), admitted in an interview with DAZN that his performance was average, openly stating he would rate himself only 6 or 7 out of 10.

"He dropped me, I dropped him": How did the fight unfold?

What looked like an easy title defense on paper turned into a real test for the champion in practice:

• "It wasn't easy": Munguia did not hide that his opponent put up stiff resistance: "It wasn't easy. At one point, the situation became extremely tense, but I managed it, and that's what matters... He dropped me, then I dropped him, then I got careless and he landed another shot";

• Dissatisfaction with his own game: The boxer emphasized that he still needs to work on his mistakes: "I would rate myself 6 or 7 out of 10. Some of our plans didn't work, and there were things I couldn't execute myself. But the important thing is that I won. I will return to training soon and continue on my path".

The plan to "avoid" Bektemir Melikuziev and the danger in the ring

The main buzz surrounding this fight was directly related to the choice of opponent:

• Mandatory challenger left aside: In reality, Munguia was supposed to defend his championship belt against the official and mandatory WBA challenger — the Uzbek master of the ring Bektemir Melikuziev;

• "Easier" opponent tactic: However, the Mexican boxer's team avoided a clash with the dangerous Melikuziev and obtained permission for a voluntary title defense against Nikita Zon, who was ranked only 9th and was fighting in his 14th professional bout;

• One step away from a 6th-round sensation: This choice did not turn out to be an easy walk. Zon, who surprised the champion in the early rounds, came very close to a knockout, especially in the 6th round. After taking serious hits and ending up in a difficult position, Munguia was not "finished off" by the Russian boxer due to his lack of experience;

• Experience in the second half: In the second half of the fight, Zon's activity dropped due to physical fatigue, and Munguia pulled ahead on the scorecards thanks to accurate attacks, retaining his belt.

It is now expected that the issue of a mandatory defense for the WBA championship belt will return to the agenda and that a clash with Bektemir Melikuziev will become inevitable.