Noel Mikaelyan could not have better timed his ring return.
BoxingScene has learned that the former WBC cruiserweight titlist will get a direct shot at his old belt in a last-minute challenge of current belt holder Badou Jack.
Mikaelyan immediately raised his hand to replace Ryan Rozicki, who suffered a torn biceps and was forced to withdraw from the planned May 3 date at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Turki Alalshikh, the event promoter and owner of Ring Magazine, did not directly announce the fight but validated a breaking news report from the publication. The fight will serve in supporting capacity to the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-William Scull undisputed super middleweight championship.
The revised matchup ties a bow on a strange sequence of events involving the title.
Jack, 28-3-3 (17 KOs), won the WBC cruiserweight belt in a February 2023 12th-round knockout win over Ilunga “Junior” Makabu to become a three-division titlist. His reign was short-lived, as he vacated the title in exchange for “champion in recess” designation so that he could pursue a shot at the WBC’s bridgerweight title.
The opportunity never materialized, though he was fortunate to return to the 200lbs division at a time when his old belt was up for grabs.
Mikaelyan, 27-2 (12 KOs), won the vacant belt in a third-round knockout of Makabu atop a November 2023 Don King Productions extravaganza in his adopted hometown of Miami. His reign also ended without a single defense, though one was scheduled – several times over. He was due to face Rozicki, 20-1-1 (19 KOs), in a mandatory title defense but repeatedly postponed due to an assortment of issues.
It ultimately came out that Mikaelyan was in litigation with King, at which point the WBC had him swap places with Jack and assume the champion in recess tag.
Jack – a 2008 Olympian for Sweden – previously held titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight. His reinstatement as WBC cruiserweight titlist came with the condition that he next face Rozicki.
The matter went to a purse bid hearing, which was won by Three Lions Promotions and originally budgeted for a late April date in Rozicki’s hometown of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Alalshikh intervened on behalf of Jack and added a six-figure sum to the total pot to relocate the fight to Riyadh.
Prior to accepting the fight, Mikaelyan was due to return to the ring on May 17 at a Florida location to be determined. Don King Productions announced the event just hours before it was learned that Rozicki was injured and forced to withdraw from his planned challenge of Jack.
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