WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack insists the first fight should have settled things but if Noel Mikaelian didn’t get the message, Jack vows to deliver it emphatically in the rematch.
Jack (29-3-3, 17 KOs) and Mikaelian (27-3, 12 KOs) will meet again Saturday at Ace Mission Studios in Los Angeles, headlining Championing Mental Health 2 on PPV.com ($29.95). Their highly debated May fight ended in a majority decision for Jack, but the former “Champion in Recess” Mikaelian immediately filed an appeal with the WBC, citing the punch stats and the short-notice circumstances.
The WBC ordered a rematch once a $301,018 purse bid was secured and after months of delays, promotional disputes, and scheduling issues, the sequel has finally arrived.
Jack: “It felt like a sparring session. I’m levels above this guy.”
Jack maintains that the controversy surrounding the decision was unwarranted. “I don’t think he’s deserving of the rematch,” Jack told The Ring. “It was a semi-close fight, but I think I clearly won. It felt like a sparring session. I will show them. There are levels to this.”
He added that 25 months of inactivity contributed to a less-sharp performance than usual.
Still, judges scored the first bout 114-114, 115-113, 115-113, even though Mikaelian outlanded Jack 153 to 122 and threw over 300 more punches. Jack insists none of that changes the reality of what happened in the ring.
“I didn’t feel any of Mikaelian’s power. He’s not elite. I’ve fought real champions this is nothing new.”
Mikaelian’s Long Road Back: Injuries, Promotions Drama, and a Title Lost Without a Fight
Mikaelian, 35, took the fight on three weeks’ notice but still pressed the action and believes the judges shorted him. After appealing, he finally secured the rematch — but it’s been an exhausting journey.
The Armenian-German contender won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title in November 2023 after stopping Ilunga Makabu in three rounds. Yet a tumultuous 2024 campaign marked by injuries and disputes with promoter Don King derailed his career momentum. Ultimately, the WBC stripped him of the belt due to inactivity and made Jack champion without him stepping in the ring.
For Mikaelian, the rematch is the only way to claim what he believes he never should have lost.
High Stakes in the Cruiserweight Landscape
The winner of Jack–Mikaelian II will be perfectly positioned for major 2026 unification fights:
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Jai Opetaia (The Ring & IBF champion)
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The winner of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez vs. David Benavidez for the WBA and WBO titles
Jack welcomes the opportunity but refuses to look ahead. “I want the big fights, the unification fights,” Jack said. “But I’ve learned never to overlook anyone. It’s still a world championship fight.”
A Rare Rematch for Both Fighters
Interestingly, neither Jack nor Mikaelian has ever competed in a professional rematch before — despite both being involved in razor-thin decisions earlier in their careers.
Jack has felt the sting more than most:
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Majority draw vs. Adonis Stevenson (2018)
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Majority draw vs. James DeGale (2017)
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Split decision loss to Jean Pascal (2019)
“Those were robberies,” Jack said. “I never got a rematch. So this time, I will make the outcome clear.”
Jack’s Final Promise: “Maybe he’ll quit this time.”
Jack has never been one to talk wildly, but ahead of this rematch, he sounds more resolute than ever.
“I’m going to dominate and show there are levels to this,” Jack said. “Maybe he’ll quit this time.”
With unification opportunities on the horizon and legacy implications at stake, Saturday’s rematch could reshape the entire cruiserweight division — or finally close the chapter on a rivalry Jack believes should have ended months ago.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
