Jai Opetaia and Noel Mikaelian are reportedly finalizing a deal for a cruiserweight showdown on a future Ring Magazine card later this year. Opetaia, now tied to Zuffa Boxing, had been linked to David Benavidez, but that fight appears to have slipped away for now.
Turki Alalshikh had been pushing for Opetaia vs. Benavidez after Benavidez stopped Gilberto Ramirez to become unified cruiserweight champion. But according to an official briefed on the situation, Benavidez turned down the Opetaia fight and is instead focused on bigger legacy targets, including Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol.
Benavidez’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, said his fighter has no interest in fighting Opetaia for the Zuffa belt. “He doesn’t want to fight for the Zuffa title,” Lewkowicz said. “He doesn’t want to fight Opetaia for nothing.” He also said Benavidez will not wait around while Bivol’s next move becomes clear: “David Benavidez will not wait for anyone. He wants his own legacy.”
That has opened the door for Opetaia to face WBC cruiserweight champion Mikaelian, who won the belt from Badou Jack by unanimous decision in December. Mikaelian had also been linked to a possible PBC deal that could have led to a Benavidez unification, but Alalshikh’s offer appears to have moved him toward Opetaia instead.
The matchup also brings a promotional twist, as Dana White is backing Opetaia under Zuffa Boxing and Don King is promoting Mikaelian.
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