Noel Mikaelian addresses promotional disputes with Don King

Cruiserweight contender Noel Mikaelian has addressed a prolonged period of inactivity, attributing it to promotional struggles with Don King. Mikaelian stated he originally signed with King to secure a world title shot but later faced disputes regarding transparency and purse money, which he claims violated the Muhammad Ali Act.

Mikaelian has since moved to secure his own career opportunities and is scheduled to fight Jai Opetaia on the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn undercard at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This move comes amid reports of conflicting agreements, as King reportedly had a prior arrangement for Mikaelian to fight David Benavidez.

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has indicated that Mikaelian may be stripped of his cruiserweight title if he does not face Benavidez. If the title is vacated, Benavidez is expected to pursue a bout against Michał Cieślak in December.