League: Boxing Sport: Boxing Country: Global Category: General

Jai Opetaia to defend Zuffa, Ring titles against Noel Mikaelian on Sept. 12

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 4, 2026, 8:47 PM

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

Jai Opetaia to defend Zuffa, Ring titles against Noel Mikaelian on Sept. 12

Summary

Jai Opetaia will defend his Ring and Zuffa cruiserweight titles against Noel Mikaelian on September 12 in Las Vegas. The bout takes place on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn main event, slated to stream on Paramount+. Opetaia holds an unbeaten record of 30-0 and regained the IBF title after two successful defenses before his current title reign. Mikaelian, who currently holds the WBC championship, defeated Ilunga Makabu to win his title in 2023 but lost it in 2025 before regaining it in a rematch with Badou Jack. It remains unclear if Mikaelian's WBC title will be contested in this matchup.

Source Links

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Key Details

•Opetaia versus Mikaelian fight set for September 12 in Las Vegas.
•Opetaia holds a professional record of 30-0, including 23 KOs.
•Mikaelian is the current WBC champion with a record of 28-3.
•The fight will feature on the undercard of Garcia vs. Benn.
•Title status for Mikaelian remains uncertain for this bout.

Latest Updates

9:30 PMYahoo Sports — Opetaia vs. Mikaelian Co-Headlines Garcia vs. Benn On Sept. 12
8:47 PMCBS Sports — Jai Opetaia set to defend Zuffa and Ring titles against Noel Mikaelian on Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn undercard

What they're saying

"
The Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn-led boxing event on Sept. 12, 2026 — which is set to go down inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada — just got a nice addition as the co-main event. Per a report from Zuffa Boxing, Ring Magazine and Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight champion, Jai Opetaia, will battle it out […]
— Yahoo Sports