A Jai Opetaia unification fight could finally be a reality after Noel Mikaeljan reclaimed his WBC cruiserweight title in a rematch with Badou Jack.
Australian pound-for-pound king Opetaia, who moved to 29-0 with another ruthless defence of his IBF and The Ring titles on the Gold Coast last Saturday, immediately called out the Armenian-born German after his unanimous points win on Sunday (AEDT).
Mikaeljan had previously held the WBC strap and now shares a trainer with Australia's former world champion Tim Tszyu, who is fighting in Sydney on Wednesday.
Mikaeljan's team had already expressed their desire to battle Opetaia in a unification bout early next year if he did beat Jack in Los Angeles.
Opetaia wasted no time inviting the 35-year-old to tussle, calling him out moments after Mikaeljan's hand had been raised in victory.
“He put in a strong, gritty performance against a very experienced fighter in Badou Jack and deserved the win. Becoming a two-time world champion is no small achievement," Opetaia said.
“But now the time is right to unify the titles.
"This is the fight that makes sense for boxing and for the cruiserweight division.
"The fans want to see who the real number one is, and I’m ready to prove it."
Opetaia has held his titles for more than three years, but has been unable to lock in a unification bout.
WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez has repeatedly backed away from discussions to fight the Australian and will instead face David Benavidez in May.
Opetaia and Mikaeljan could unify well before that and set up an undisputed clash between the winner of that blockbuster in the back half of 2026.
“Boxing needs unification fights, it’s that simple,” Opetaia's manager and promoter Mick Francis said.
"Jai has never shied away from anyone. He’s been crystal clear that he wants all the belts, and he’s willing to fight anyone who holds them.
"Let’s be honest, 'Zurdo' Ramirez wants absolutely nothing to do with Jai Opetaia.
“We’ve seen plenty of noise, but no action.
"Given that reality, the most logical and meaningful fight to make right now is Opetaia versus Mikaeljan.
"It’s champion versus champion, IBF and Ring Magazine versus WBC. It’s clean, it’s simple, and it gives the division exactly what it needs - clarity."
