World Cruiserweight Championship Co-Main Event Added To Garcia Vs. Benn
A cruiserweight clash involving Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs) and Noel Mikaelian (28-3-0, 12 KOs) has been added to the September 12 card headlined by Ryan Garcia (25-2-0, 20 KOs) and Conor Benn (25-1-0, 14 KOs), which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Opetaia made his Zuffa Boxing debut in March, beating Brandon Glanton by 12-round decision in March. The fight saw him win the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title, albeit at the expense of the IBF stripping the puncher of its championship for “participating in what the IBF deemed an unsanctioned contest.”
Mikaelian, a two-time WBC cruiserweight champion, avenged an earlier 2025 loss to Badou Jack with a win in the rematch, and now returns to face Opetaia.
The WBC had mandated a fight between Mikaelian and two-belt, 200-pound champion David Benavidez. It remains to be seen whether the WBC will strip Mikaelian for fighting Opetaia, and if it regards the contest “unsanctioned” like the IBF had with Opetaia’s other Zuffa bout.
Anthony Girges, who is Mikaelian’s advisor, said they never received an offer to fight Benavidez since it was ordered more than two months ago. And so they advanced talks with Opetaia, instead. It is unclear who Benavidez will fight, if he remains at cruiserweight following his win over Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez or drops back down to light heavyweight.
The Garcia vs Benn bout has the WBC welterweight world title on the line.