Michal Cieslak elevated to WBC World cruiserweight champion

Noel Mikaelian stripped of world title

Mikaelian stripped, Cieslak elevated, Opetaia made mandatory

In reference to the Jai Opetaia vs Noel Mikaelian Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title fight last weekend, the WBC have publicly stated that they made numerous attempts and undertook countless efforts to bring all interested parties together toward reaching the necessary agreements to satisfy all requests proposed for sanctioning bouts compliant with the WBC rules, orders, and rulings.

After communicating with all parties involved in the Mikaelian-Opetaia contest, the WBC Board of Governors determined that among all available courses of action, the ones most compliant with the WBC’s prior orders are the following rulings and orders:

• Declare vacant the WBC Cruiserweight World Title;
• Elevate WBC Interim Cruiserweight World Champion Michal Cieslak to WBC World Champion;
• Confirm the WBC’s sanctioning of the mandatory defence of Champion Cieslak’s title against David Benavidez; and
• Order that the winner of the Mikaelian vs Opetaia bout would become the Mandatory Contender of the division to fight next the winner of the upcoming bout between Cieslak and Benavidez.

The winner of Michal Cieslak vs David Benavidez will face Jai Opetaia, who won his bout last Saturday, September 12 in Las Vegas, in round nine.

The IBF World cruiserweight title is vacant still, ever since Opetaia was stripped for fighting for the unsanctioned and unrecognised Zuffa Boxing belt.

Benavidez is the WBA and WBO beltholder, and now Cieslak has the green and gold WBC strap in his possession. The other champion at the weight is the IBO titlist Juergan Uldedaj.