Storied promoter to seek legal action over unification fight.
The cruiserweight division is one of the most chaotic at the world level of boxing. This is mainly due to Zuffa Boxing recently signing Jai Opetaia.
Former two-time IBF titleholder Opetaia was seen as the consensus best cruiserweight in the world when he made the move to the promotion, and since he had made his appreciation of the governing bodies’ titles very clear, it was a decision that left many scratching their heads.
Of course, Zuffa’s stated intentions from the very beginning were to not recognise alphabet titles or divisions outside of boxing’s original 8 weight classes. Since cruiserweight was not amongst them, this only further confused matters.
But since, Opetaia has beaten Brandon Glanton to become the division’s Zuffa Boxing beltholder, but a lot of fans have questioned who he will be able to face due to Zuffa’s limited array of opposition.
Current unified cruiserweight champion David Benavidez stated that he would like to face Opetaia, but this became more difficult when Opetaia signed with Zuffa.
As a result, Benavidez was thought to be going ahead with a unification fight against WBC champion Noel Mikaelian, and reports suggested it was very close to coming together.
Don King and Sampson Lewkowicz are even understood to have come to an agreement for the match to take place in November. However, Mikaelian apparently turned it down.
Instead, it is thought that Mikaelian will be signing with Zuffa himself (and maybe has already), and he will presumably then face Opetaia.
With Mikaelian having fought under Don King, it is likely that King will be launching legal action as a result of these events.
Although promoters Sampson Lewkowicz & Don King made a deal for David Benavidez-Noel Mikaelian 3-belt cruiserweight unification fight for November, Mikaelian, I am told, did not agree, has (or will) sign with Zuffa (probable Opetaia opponent), & King likely will sue. Typical…
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) August 4, 2026
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