While the welterweight world focuses on Garcia and Benn, the co-main event of September 12 in Las Vegas may deliver the cleaner result. Unbeaten Australian Jai Opetaia challenges WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelyan in a 12-round clash that doubles as a Ring Magazine title defence. Two champions, two styles, one night at T-Mobile Arena.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Event | Garcia vs. Benn — Zuffa Boxing / Ring Magazine |
| Date | Saturday, September 12, 2026 |
| Venue | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Division | Cruiserweight (200 lbs) |
| Scheduled Rounds | 12 |
| Titles | WBC World Cruiserweight Championship + Ring Magazine Cruiserweight Title |
| Broadcast (US) | Paramount+, main card 8pm ET / 5pm PT |
| Broadcast (UK) | DAZN PPV |
Jai Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) is the kind of unbeaten fighter who makes opponents nervous before they sign. The 29-year-old southpaw from Australia has stopped 23 of his 29 opponents, with five stoppages in his last five fights. He’s relentless: long, fast, hits hard from both hands, and moves well for a man his size. His 6’3” frame and 76” reach give him range at cruiserweight that most opponents can’t match, and his southpaw angle creates problems that orthodox fighters spend the whole fight trying to solve. Opetaia called out Mikaelyan publicly after David Benavidez continued to avoid him.
Noel Mikaelyan (28-3, 12 KOs) is the defending WBC champion, and he’s earned some respect for taking this fight. At 34, the Armenian has been around the cruiserweight division long enough to know what Opetaia brings — but he’s argued the “feared” narrative around the Australian is mostly marketing. His three losses include two to Badou Jack (splitting their trilogy 1-1 then losing again), and his title win came when Jack vacated. He’s a durable, experienced fighter who holds his ground and has good right hand power. He’s also the older, more worn of the two.
| Jai Opetaia | Noel Mikaelyan | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 29 | 34 |
| Nationality | Australian | Armenian |
| Height | 6’3” / 191cm | 6’2” / 189cm |
| Reach | 76” / 193cm | 75.2” / 191cm |
| Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
| Record | 29-0-0 | 28-3-0 |
| KOs | 23 (79%) | 12 (43%) |
| Rounds Fought | 129 | 209 |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Brandon Glanton | UD | 12 | Mar 2026 |
| W | Huseyin Cinkara | KO | 8 | Dec 2025 |
| W | Claudio Squeo | TKO | 5 | Jun 2025 |
| W | David Nyika | KO | 4 | Jan 2025 |
| W | Jack Massey | TKO | 6 | Oct 2024 |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Badou Jack | UD | 12 | Dec 2025 |
| L | Badou Jack | UD | 12 | May 2025 |
| W | Ilunga Makabu | KO | 3 | Nov 2023 |
| L | Badou Jack | MD | 12 | May 2023 |
| W | various | — | — | 2022–23 |
Mikaelyan identified Opetaia’s southpaw stance as his biggest concern — specifically the speed, the footwork, and the straight left. That’s an accurate threat assessment. Opetaia’s left hand is his primary weapon, and he throws it from angles that make it hard to read. He also doesn’t stall between combinations; he pivots, resets, and comes back.
Mikaelyan’s best chance is to get inside Opetaia’s reach, take away the punching room, and drag the fight into a rougher, messier affair. He’s faced adversity before and has decent chin credentials. But his path to a decision involves surviving rounds where Opetaia is landing flush, and that’s a lot to ask of a 34-year-old champion whose last three elite-level fights have been against Badou Jack.
The southpaw-orthodox matchup will define the early rounds. If Mikaelyan can’t establish foot position advantage — getting his left foot outside Opetaia’s right — he’ll be eating the straight left all night.
Jai Opetaia must:
Noel Mikaelyan must:
Opetaia enters as a significant favourite. His combination of youth, power, unbeaten record, and physical attributes makes a compelling case. Mikaelyan deserves credit for taking the fight when others wouldn’t, but the tape says this ends with Opetaia’s hand raised.
Prediction: Jai Opetaia by TKO, rounds 8–10. Opetaia is too fresh, too fast, and too powerful. He breaks Mikaelyan down in the second half of the fight and the stoppage comes before the final bell.
United States: Paramount+, main card 8pm ET / 5pm PT.
United Kingdom: DAZN PPV. Co-main event expected around 2–3am BST Sunday, September 13.
The main event is Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn for the WBC welterweight title. The main card opener is Mark Magsayo vs Andres Cortes at lightweight.
When is Opetaia vs Mikaelyan? Saturday, September 12, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, as the co-main event of Garcia vs Benn.
What titles are on the line? The WBC World Cruiserweight Championship and the Ring Magazine cruiserweight title.
Has Opetaia ever been knocked down? Opetaia is 29-0 and has not been stopped. He has 129 rounds of professional experience.
Why is Mikaelyan fighting Opetaia instead of Benavidez? The WBC ordered Mikaelyan to face WBA/WBO champion David Benavidez, but that fight has not been finalised. Mikaelyan accepted Opetaia instead, though his WBC title status on the night is subject to WBC sanction rulings.
Is Opetaia the favourite? Yes — significantly so. His combination of youth, unbeaten record, and finishing ability makes him the clear favourite.
📊 Want to dive deeper into the action? Subscribe to our Boxing Data API to access full round-by-round punch stats, detailed analytics, and historical fight data.
