Jai Opetaia stops Noel Mikaelian and schedules May cruiserweight bout

Jai Opetaia secured a ninth-round stoppage victory over Noel Mikaelian at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. Opetaia overwhelmed Mikaelian with a series of left hooks at 1:30 of the ninth round, marking the first time Mikaelian has been stopped in his professional career. Following the conclusion of the bout, unified cruiserweight champion David Benavidez joined Opetaia in the ring. Both fighters publicly agreed to a unification match scheduled for May 2027 in Las Vegas. Opetaia holds the lineal and Ring Magazine titles, while Benavidez serves as the WBA super champion. The matchup between the two is set to determine a single champion in the weight division.

• 4:02 AMYahoo Sports — Jai Opetaia Win Saturday Sets Up Benavidez Fight in May