Kal Yafai needs the motivation of a unification fight following a workmanlike world title defence in Monte Carlo, says Sky Sports' pundit Johnny Nelson.
Yafai extended his WBA world title reign, as well as his unbeaten record, on Saturday with a hard-fought decision win over Mexico's Israel Gonzalez, but was quick to voice his disappointment in the 12-round performance.
Nelson agrees that the Birmingham star was below-par, admitting that, having successfully defended his title for the fourth time, Yafai now needs a major fight to charge him up.
"He needs a fight where he is pushed and asked to produce something special," Nelson said afterwards.
"Get him in a unification fight and you will see a completely different performance.
"I think Kal under-performed, he could've boxed a lot better than what we saw."
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Carl Froch believes Yafai can now go away and put things right before 2019.
"Yafai landed some very nice looking power punches and put Gonzalez on the back-foot for long periods of the fight. Maybe he didn't put flashy combinations together or bring the work rate we all wanted to see.
"It's another win, another world title defence and he will go away with things to work on."