Boxing Mar 13, 2026

Jai Opetaia vs Noel Mikaelian? WBC backs unification bout between cruiserweight champion and star IBF titlist

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Jai Opetaia vs Noel Mikaelian? WBC backs unification bout between cruiserweight champion and star IBF titlist

Jai Opetaia could meet Noel Mikaelian in a cruiserweight world title unification with the WBC's backing.

Opetaia is the unbeaten IBF world champion and has impressed with two victories over Mairis Briedis as well as putting together a sequence of stunning knockout wins.

Mikaelian is the WBC belt-holder and faced off with Opetaia at the first Zuffa Boxing event.

Zuffa is a new boxing promotion company that has recently signed Opetaia. The Australian will have his first fight under their banner on March 8.

With a change of American legislation, Zuffa could set up an alternative to the traditional world-title sanctioning bodies and become a unified boxing organisation that administers its own belts and rankings.

But the WBC would not obstruct an eventual Opetaia versus Mikaelian unification bout.

"Yes absolutely," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Your Site.

"[Opetaia is] a good fighter, a good champion, Noel Mikaelian a very dear friend and our champion. So if they plan on doing that unification we're supportive.

"If they want to promote a WBC championship, of course as a boxing promoter if they do it within the rules and procedures more than welcome.

"If Zuffa decides to participate in the normal landscape as it is, more than happy, more than welcome. If they continue to try and do their own league with their own belt I wish them luck, but boxing continues."

He added: "Our policy has been to try to make the best fights possible for the industry, for the promoters for the fighters and of course for the fans."

That policy, Sulaiman maintains, has led their decision-making for the heavyweight division. If Agit Kabayel retains his WBC interim title belt he will eventually become the mandatory challenger for full world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

But Usyk will first be permitted to make a voluntary defence of the WBC title, which he holds along with the IBF and WBA belts.

"What we did in the heavyweight division was approve a long process that took to get to the undisputed," Sulaiman said. "At the moment we pushed for our champion (Tyson) Fury to face Usyk. We also approved a rematch and that's why the WBC approved an interim championship for Kabayel with the intention to give an elite champion Usyk that opportunity.

"Usyk requested a voluntary defence, it has been granted. Kabayel made a defence in Germany at the beginning of the year so we're waiting for Usyk's plans to see about his voluntary defence and then eventually perhaps order Kabayel against the champion.

"Kabayel, with that victory in Germany, becoming a hero in Germany, opens a new avenue. A Kabayel-Usyk fight is now huge as well."

Watch the Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper bill live on Your Site on Sunday April 5.

Tags:

boxing news

Share this article

Related Posts

Jarrell Miller: Heavyweight boxer involved in bizarre incident as hairpiece comes off during fight against Kingsley Ibeh

Jarrell Miller: Heavyweight boxer involved in bizarre incident as hairpiece comes off during fight against Kingsley Ibeh

Heavyweight boxer Jarrell Miller was involved in a bizarre incident during his win over Kingsley Ibeh when his hairpiece came off. The moment happened...

Josh Kelly becomes IBF light-middleweight champion after recovering from knockdown to beat Bakhram Murtazaliev in Newcastle

Josh Kelly becomes IBF light-middleweight champion after recovering from knockdown to beat Bakhram Murtazaliev in Newcastle

Britain's Josh Kelly outpointed Bakhram Murtazaliev to win the IBF light-middleweight title in Newcastle.The Sunderland fighter was floored in the nin...

Tyson Fury: After boxing retirement U-turn will he go on to become three-time heavyweight world champion?

Tyson Fury: After boxing retirement U-turn will he go on to become three-time heavyweight world champion?

A three-time world heavyweight champion has a hallowed place in the annals of boxing history. They are rare indeed and only the very best manage to re...

Xander Zayas defeats Abass Baraou to become youngest active unified world champion in Puerto Rico

Xander Zayas defeats Abass Baraou to become youngest active unified world champion in Puerto Rico

Xander Zayas defeated Abass Baraou via split decision to become the youngest active unified champion and the first boxer from Puerto Rico to accomplis...

Shakur Stevenson: American boxer dominates Teofimo Lopez to become four-weight world champion before calling out Conor Benn

Shakur Stevenson: American boxer dominates Teofimo Lopez to become four-weight world champion before calling out Conor Benn

Shakur Stevenson dominated Teofimo Lopez to become a four-weight world champion, before clashing with Britain's Conor Benn.Stevenson won by unanimous...

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney undisputed fight headline April 5 all-female show on Sky Sports

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney undisputed fight headline April 5 all-female show on Sky Sports

Caroline Dubois versus Terri Harper and Ellie Scotney’s undisputed title fight top an epic all-women’s TV bill on Sunday April 5 live on Your Site.The...