Opetaia’s position at Cruiserweight
Jai Opetaia enters any unification conversation as the division’s most proven active champion. The undefeated IBF titleholder defeated Mairis Briedis twice and has since moved through opponents with increasing authority, combining pace, pressure and finishing ability that few cruiserweights can match.
His recent decision to align with Zuffa Boxing adds complexity, but not uncertainty, to his championship position. Opetaia remains an established belt holder with leverage earned in the ring rather than through promotional positioning.
Mikaelian and the WBC title
Noel Mikaelian holds the WBC cruiserweight title and has already shared the stage with Opetaia, who faces him at Zuffa’s first boxing event. That public face-off suggested early alignment between competitive ambition and promotional intent.
From the WBC’s perspective, the match is clean. Two champions. One section. No artificial barriers.
The WBC’s position
Sulaiman clearly outlined the organization’s position.
“If they intend to do that unification, we support,” Sulaiman said Sky Sports.
That sentence is the WBC’s bottom line. The organization will approve the fight if it follows established rules. If Zuffa chooses to operate independently with his own titles, the WBC will continue on its existing path without interference or escalation.
Sulaiman framed the issue less as a power struggle and more as a reality check for boxing’s ecosystem. Sanctioning bodies can facilitate major fights. They don’t need to control every business model to stay relevant.
The Pressure Point
A union between Opetaia and Mikaelian would do more than produce a single champion. It will test how flexible boxing’s settings are when a fighter with real leverage steps slightly outside the usual lanes.
The WBC chose, at least publicly, cooperation over confrontation. Whether promoters follow the same logic will decide how quickly this fight moves from conversation to contract.
