LAS VEGAS — Jai Opetaia faced adversity, recovered and then reminded the cruiserweight division why he remains one of boxing’s most dangerous champions. The undefeated Australian southpaw stopped Noel Mikaelian in the ninth round Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, capturing the WBC cruiserweight championship while retaining his Ring and Zuffa Boxing titles.
Opetaia (31-0, 24 KOs) became the first fighter to stop Mikaelian (28-4, 12 KOs), finishing him with a vicious four-punch combination in the co-main event of the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn card.
The sequence sent Mikaelian stumbling backward into the ropes, which prevented him from hitting the canvas. Referee Harvey Dock ruled it a knockdown before determining Mikaelian was unable to continue.
But Opetaia’s victory wasn’t without adversity. Mikaelian boxed effectively early and found success with his right hand. In the seventh round, he landed his biggest punch of the fight, a right hand that visibly buzzed Opetaia.
Opetaia took an awkward step before immediately clinching and eventually wrestling Mikaelian to the canvas. “He clipped me,” Opetaia admitted afterward. “I’m a bit used to getting clipped in a fight.”
Rather than unraveling, Opetaia recovered and resumed applying pressure. Two rounds later, the fight was over. His right-left-left-right combination disoriented Mikaelian and produced the stoppage, giving Opetaia another championship and maintaining his perfect professional record.
“I’m still here, I’m still undefeated and, like I said, who’s next?” Opetaia said. The answer may have been sitting ringside.
David Benavidez Wants the Boogeyman
WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion David Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) watched Opetaia’s performance from ringside and received a loud reaction when shown on the arena’s video screen.
Afterward, the two undefeated champions came face-to-face, shook hands and expressed their desire to fight next. Benavidez then delivered the line that could become the centerpiece of a potential promotion.
“He’s the boogeyman of the division, but I’m the person they call when it’s time to kill the boogeyman.” That’s exactly what makes Benavidez-Opetaia so intriguing. Opetaia has developed a reputation as one of boxing’s most avoided champions, combining southpaw skill, speed and legitimate knockout power. Benavidez brings relentless pressure, volume and his own undefeated record.
Saturday also showed Benavidez that Opetaia can be hurt. Mikaelian proved that in the seventh. But Opetaia demonstrated something equally important: hurting him and beating him are two very different things.
With Opetaia now holding the WBC, Ring and Zuffa championships and Benavidez controlling the WBA and WBO belts, a showdown between them would go a long way toward determining cruiserweight supremacy. Opetaia asked who’s next. Benavidez was already standing in front of him. Now boxing needs to make the fight.
Ryan Garcia Won’t Intimidate Conor Benn And That’s Why Benn Will Stop Him
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
