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Noel Mikaelian must fight David Benavidez or he will lose the WBC belt

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Image: Mauricion Sulaiman To Noel Mikaelian: Fight Benavidez Or Get Stripped

Mauricio Sulaiman has made clear the WBC’s position on Noel Mikaelian’s reported plans to continue his unification fight with Jai Opetaia.

The WBC president said Mikaelian must follow the sanctioning body’s order to fight David Benavidez. If he chooses Opetaia instead, he will no longer be recognized as the WBC cruiserweight champion.


“The WBC order is Mikaelian against Benavidez. That’s all. If he fights again, he will renounce his obligations to the WBC,” Sulaiman said Boxing Scene.

The ruling creates a major setback for a fight that is widely reported to be close to being over. BoxingScene reported Friday that negotiations for a Mikaelian-Opetaia fight later this year will be completed on the Turki Alalshikh-backed Ring Magazine card.

The WBC formally ordered Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KO) to defend against Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) after the American requested mandatory status. Sulaiman said the regulation leaves little room for alternative plans.

Benavidez recently met with Sulaiman in Mexico and expressed his desire to pursue the opportunity to unify the cruiserweight division, while Dmitry Bivol’s next move remains tied to other commitments.

While Mikaelian did not set any deadline for making commitments, Sulaiman indicated that the sanctioning body intends to move the situation forward.

“Not at this time. I will be talking to all managers. This is a top priority. I look forward to making sure this happens,” Sulaiman said.

The comments put Mikaelian in a complex situation. A fight against Opetaia would likely be seen as a better chance at unification, but continuing with those plans would cost him the WBC championship unless the sanctioning body changes course.

The WBC’s position is basic: Mikaelian’s next fight must be against Benavidez if he wants to remain champion.

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Last update: 2026/06/01 at 23:35

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53-Year-Old Heavyweight Champion Prepares for Boxing Comeback: Im Outperforming Everyone in the Gym

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"53-Year-Old Heavyweight Champion Prepares for Boxing Comeback: 'I'm Outperforming Everyone in the Gym'"

Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield are regarded as two of the best heavyweights in recent history, and now a former world heavyweight champion who fought them both is planning a shock return to the sport at the age of 53.

Lewis and Holyfield ruled the heavyweight division at various stages throughout the 1990s, which led to the duo famously colliding on two occasions in 1999.

The first bout ended in a controversial split decision draw, before Lewis left no doubt in the second meeting as he won by unanimous decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion.

Just under 18 months later, Lewis suffered an upset defeat, as he was knocked out inside five rounds by Hasim Rahman, and it is Rahman who is now planning on returning to the sport at the age of 53, as he looks to compete for the first time since June 2014.

After his victory over Lewis, Rahman lost by fourth round knockout in their immediate rematch, before he then headed straight into a bout with Holyfield, suffering a technical decision loss after eight rounds due to an eye injury after an accidental head clash.

Further defeats followed, with his record currently standing at 50 wins from 62 fights, but he has told Sean Zittel about his current success in the gym.

“I feel like in every aspect of my life, I feel like a 25-year-old. I go in the gym and I’ll work everybody in the gym, every single person.”

Rahman is scheduled to compete at the ESL Ballpark in Rochester, New York on Tuesday 18 August, with an opponent yet to be announced.

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Terence Crawford Sends Cryptic Message Following Conor McGregors UFC 329 Defeat

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"Terence Crawford Sends Cryptic Message Following Conor McGregor's UFC 329 Defeat"
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“It’s crazy when they talk shit to me God punish them.”

FightHype interpreted the post as Crawford reacting to McGregor’s defeat, and many fans reached the same conclusion given the timing.

The two have exchanged words in recent weeks after McGregor claimed Crawford turned down a $200 million two-fight boxing and MMA deal. Crawford rejected that version of events, saying no such offer was ever presented to him.

Crawford did not mention McGregor by name or elaborate on his message, but the post quickly spread across social media.

The reaction was divided. Some boxing fans viewed the message as Crawford reminding McGregor of their recent feud, while many MMA fans criticized the retired four-division champion for appearing to celebrate McGregor’s injury and defeat. Others accused Crawford of invoking divine punishment over a sporting result, calling the post unnecessary.

Neither Crawford nor McGregor has commented further since the exchange reignited discussion between boxing and MMA fans.

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Dana White Outraged After UFC Broadcast Confuses Shakur Stevenson with NBA Player

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"Dana White Outraged After UFC Broadcast Confuses Shakur Stevenson with NBA Player"

Dana White ripped the UFC production team after they mistakenly identified boxing star Shakur Stevenson during Saturday night’s UFC 329 broadcast, saying the company continues to struggle with celebrity recognition despite having produced events for more than two decades.

While discussing the overall production during his post-fight press conference, White praised the show’s presentation before abruptly shifting to one mistake that clearly irritated him.


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“I tell you all the time, my production team, we just did the White House. We built a fing arena on the South Lawn of the White House, and it was the greatest fing thing in the world to be there live and to watch it on TV,” White said.

“I just paid Shakur Stevenson a shitload of money. And for some reason, we can’t figure this celebrity s*** out. They put him up as a fing OKC NBA player. Are you fing kidding me?”

White continued venting about the error, saying the UFC has become notorious for misidentifying celebrities shown on its broadcasts.

“We are the absolute worst to ever do the celebrity thing. When we put celebrities up, we are the worst. I just had this fing debate in the back with my guys while I was screaming at everybody back there. They said, ‘No, soccer’s worse. Soccer shows the people, and they don’t put up any graphics.’ Oh no. We put up fing graphics and put the wrong guy’s name on it. We win. We’re the worst ever to f***ing do it.”

Stevenson attended UFC 329 as one of the event’s notable guests following his growing relationship with Zuffa Boxing. White has repeatedly praised the undefeated former three-division world champion and has made him one of the most recognizable boxing figures associated with the promotion’s new venture.

The broadcast mistake quickly drew attention online, with boxing fans sharing clips of White’s profanity-filled reaction and criticizing the production error. The incident also highlighted Zuffa Boxing’s increasing crossover with UFC events as White continues expanding his presence in professional boxing.

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Last Updated on 2026/07/12 at 2:02 AM

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