Jai Opetaia to defend Zuffa title against Noel Mikaelian in Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn co-feature

Australian boxer Jai Opetaia, the reigning Zuffa cruiserweight champion, will defend his title against Noel Mikaelian in the co-feature of the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn card, one of the biggest boxing events of 2026. Mikaelian is the reigning WBC cruiserweight world champion but may be forced to vacate his belt following a decision made on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The bout marks back-to-back U.S. appearances for Opetaia.