Cruiserweight chaos shows Zuffa Boxing's alphabet belt problem

Zuffa Boxing wanted Jai Opetaia to fight WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian next, but the sanctioning body had other ideas. Instead of approving the matchup, the WBC ordered Mikaelian to face David Benavidez, the newly crowned WBA and WBO champion who also holds the WBC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight belt. The move shows just how much power the alphabet organizations still wield, even over fighters who signed with a company built on marginalizing those same belts.

Writing in his latest column for The Ring, Keith Idec noted the decision came despite sanctioning bodies rarely forcing a champion to face a rival titleholder. "The WBC hid behind Benavidez's request to meet Mikaelian next as its justification for ordering that bout," Idec wrote, adding that the organization appeared intent on protecting its own financial interests. Benavidez draws bigger purses than Opetaia and brings more sanctioning fee revenue, while neither Benavidez nor Mikaelian are under contract with Zuffa.

What the WBC block means for Opetaia and Zuffa's strategy

Opetaia holds The Ring cruiserweight championship and entered his Zuffa debut with a spotless 30-0 record after outpointing Brandon Glanton in March. He had publicly feuded with the IBF before that fight and was later stripped by the organization, yet still pursued the WBC strap—proof that even fighters aligned with Zuffa see value in the belts the company wants to deemphasize. If Benavidez stays at cruiserweight and meets Mikaelian, Opetaia will likely face the winner of Chris Billam-Smith versus Ryan Rozicki, who headline Zuffa's first UK card Saturday in Bournemouth. That fight is compelling but offers no alphabet hardware.

Idec described the episode as a sign that Zuffa's mission to sideline sanctioning bodies will take longer than its leadership expected. "If the cruiserweight issues Zuffa has encountered since announcing the Opetaia signing are an accurate gauge of what's to come, marginalizing sanctioning bodies might become more of an uphill battle than its leadership anticipated," he wrote. The company has deep pockets and can afford to play the long game, but the WBC's intervention underscores how entrenched the old system remains.

Billam-Smith and Canada's Rozicki both carry knockout power, and the winner will be a live opponent for Opetaia. The Australian champion just won't get the belt unification he clearly wants, at least not immediately. Zuffa's first UK show airs Saturday night, with the cruiserweight bout as the main event.

Source: ringmagazine.com