The Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn-led boxing event on Sept. 12, 2026 — which is set to go down inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada — just got a nice addition as the co-main event.
Per a report from Zuffa Boxing, Ring Magazine and Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight champion, Jai Opetaia, will battle it out against current WBC division king, Noel Mikaelian, as the co-main event for the star-studded event, which will stream live on Paramount+, as well as live on DAZN in the UK.
Opetaia comes in with a record
of 30-0 (23 knockouts) and made his successful Zuffa Boxing debut by defeating Brandon Glanton via unanimous decision earlier this year to win the promotions inaugural title. Opetaia was targeting a fight against current WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion, David Benavidez, but it seems the two parties just couldn’t come to terms, which didn’t sit right with Opetaia.
“This is a huge card, and I look forward to showing the world once again why I’m the best cruiserweight on the planet,” Opetaia said in a press release issued by Zuffa Boxing. “Credit to Noel for stepping up to the plate while others – yes, David Benavidez, I’m talking about you – continue to run and hide.”
Of course, Benavidez has stated time and again that he has no interest at the moment going after the Zuffa belt — or even partnering with the promotion — and recently moved up to Light Heavyweight to defeat Zurdo Ramirez to take his WBA and WBC straps (see it again here).
As for the man stuck in the middle of the beef, Noel Mikaelian, he comes in with a 28-3 record and won the WBC cruiserweight title by defeating Badou Jack via unanimous decision in Dec. 2025. In an interesting note, a title unification fight between Mikaelian and Benavidez was ordered by the powers that be earlier this year, and the two sides were in active discussions before the sudden pivot. At the moment, only Opetaia’s Ring belt is set to be on the line on Sept. 12.
Opetaia was one of Zuffa Boxing’s first major signings, so it only makes sense to have him on the card, which is the promotion’s biggest solo event since its inception as it features another one of the company’s other big signings, Conor Benn, attempting to take the WBC Welterweight strap from Ryan Garcia, who is under contract with Golden Boy Promotions.
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