Opetaia Stops Mikaelian in Ninth, But WBC Belt Remains in Dispute

Jai Opetaia defeated Noel Mikaelian by technical knockout in the ninth round of their cruiserweight bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The victory, which improved Opetaia's professional record to 31-0 with 24 knockouts, came on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn welterweight title fight. Despite the decisive win, Opetaia did not claim the WBC cruiserweight title. The belt was not on the line due to an ongoing legal dispute involving promoter Don King, who has asserted exclusive promotional rights for Mikaelian. The WBC confirmed the title would not be contested, leaving the championship's status unresolved. In a last-minute decision, the World Boxing Association approved the fight for its vacant regular cruiserweight title hours before the event. This creates a two-tier championship within the WBA, as David Benavidez already holds the organization's super title at 200 pounds. The winner of the Opetaia-Mikaelian bout can now claim the regular version, though it is considered a secondary belt. Opetaia was presented with a Zuffa Boxing belt and The Ring Magazine championship after the fight.