_1636757739.jpg)
Jaime Munguia has spent the past several days mulling offers for separate paths toward a middleweight title.
It appears that the choice has been made for him.
BoxingScene.com has learned that Munguia’s team is in advanced talks for a potential showdown with two-division and reigning WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22KOs). A deal has yet to be reached for the fight which—as previously reported by BoxingScene.com senior writer/columnist Keith Idec—is being targeted for mid-June or July.
News of the developments serves as a source of frustration to the WBO, who has been generous to a fault in confirming Munguia’s prior commitment to a WBO interim middleweight title fight with Janibek Alimkhanuly. The fight was ordered February 22 by the sanctioning body, coming with a 10-day deadline for the two sides to reach a deal to avoid a purse bid hearing.
That level of generosity has run out, as the sanctioning body has moved on from that fight. The WBO has now ordered a new interim title fight between Kazakhstan’s Alimkhanuly (11-0, 9KOs) and England’s Danny Dignum (14-0-1, 8KOs).
“The WBO has granted Team Munguia enough time to proceed with the bout as ordered,” Luis Batista-Salas, chairman of the WBO Championship Committee confirmed in an official letter to Alimkhanuly and Dignum, a copy of which was obtained by BoxingScene.com. “Therefore, considering their refusal and lack of interest to fight Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, this Committee shall proceed ordering negotiations with Team Danny Dignum accordingly.
“The parties herein have 10 days to reach an agreement. If an accord is not reached within the time frame outlined herein, a purse bid ceremony will be ordered per WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests. The minimum acceptable bid for the WBO Middleweight Division is $200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dollars). Any of the parties involved may request a purse bid ceremony at any time during the negotiation process.”
Alimkhanuly is represented by Top Rank and manager Egis Klimas. Dignum is represented in talks by MTK Global’s Lee Eaton, though having recently signed with Probellum. The round of talks will put Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum and Probellum co-founder Richard Schaefer—longtime promotional rivals—at the negotiating table and on opposite sides of the promotion should this fight move forward.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox