Opetaia Set to Challenge WBC Cruiserweight King Mikaelian on Garcia-Benn Undercard

Former IBF champion Jai Opetaia will step back into the ring on September 12th in Las Vegas, challenging WBC cruiserweight titleholder Noel Mikaelian. The high-stakes bout is slated as the co-main event for the highly anticipated Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn card.

Zuffa Boxing officially confirmed today that Jai Opetaia is scheduled to face WBC cruiserweight world champion Noel Mikaelian. This significant clash is set to unfold on September 12th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will serve as the co-main event, preceding the much-anticipated WBC welterweight title bout between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn. Boxing fans can expect a thrilling night of action with two major title fights headlining the card. Noel Mikaelian, boasting a record of 28 wins and 3 losses with 12 knockouts, currently holds the WBC cruiserweight championship. However, the WBC's involvement in this specific title defense was notably absent from the initial fight announcement. This development comes after the WBC had previously ordered Mikaelian to defend his title against David Benavidez. The implications of this new matchup on the WBC's prior directive remain to be seen. Opetaia, who was stripped of his IBF cruiserweight title in March after competing for the Zuffa belt against Brandon Glanton in a non-sanctioned IBF bout, now has an immediate opportunity to reclaim a world championship in the cruiserweight division.