Don King Files Cease And Desist On Opetaia Fight

Don King has filed a cease and desist against TKO Group to block Saturday's cruiserweight title fight between Jai Opetaia and Noel Mikaelian, scheduled to co-headline Zuffa Boxing's Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn card in Las Vegas.

The letter, posted to Bad Left Hook, accuses TKO and Zuffa Boxing of tortious interference with King's promotional contract with Mikaelian. King's legal team states that Don King Productions holds exclusive worldwide rights to arrange all professional bouts for the WBC cruiserweight champion and that TKO negotiated the Opetaia matchup without the promoter's consent.

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King Claims Prior Negotiations With Zuffa Broke Down

According to the filing, TKO executives including COO Harrison Whitman and Dana White held at least one virtual meeting with King and his counsel to discuss a provision of services deal for Mikaelian that would have included the Opetaia bout. No agreement was reached. The letter claims TKO then bypassed King entirely and worked directly with Mikaelian's manager Anthony Girges and attorney James Greeley to secure the fight.

King's attorney wrote that while Mikaelian's contract allows him to explore other opportunities, he cannot finalize any deal without Don King Productions' written approval. The cease and desist demands TKO cancel the bout immediately and cease all contact with the fighter.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn on Ticketmaster →

Mikaelian had previously maintained that his manager possessed the authority to pursue third-party offers. King shut down Jarrell Miller vs Michael Hunter last year using similar contract claims. The Opetaia-Mikaelian bout is set for September 12 at T-Mobile Arena.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — Don King files cease and desist to block Opetaia vs Mikaelian