A WBC purse bid hearing has reportedly been scheduled for this Friday, fielding out the rights to stage Badou Jack and Noel Mikaelian’s ordered rematch.
The two cruiserweights collided in a controversial encounter last May, back when Jack, 29-3-3 (17 KOs), a multi-weight world champion, retained his green and gold title with a razor-thin majority decision victory.
Due to the competitive – and largely lacklustre – nature of their fight, though, many felt that Mikaelian, 27-3 (12 KOs), who stepped in for an injured Ryan Rozicki on around three weeks’ notice, had done enough to emerge victorious.
Either way, it should not be long until both fighters, who had supposedly reached a deal for their rematch earlier this year, are given the opportunity to settle their score once and for all.
It was, of course, revealed in July that the pair had arrived at an agreement, only for a further announcement of their second encounter – regarding a date and venue – to remain on the shelf.
In fact, according to Ring Magazine journalist Mike Coppinger, a lack of communication from Badou Jack Promotions was what urged the WBC to order a purse bid hearing.
And with that auction set to take place in just over two days’ time, it would also appear that notorious promoter Don King, who represents Mikaelian, is now back in the mix.
In any case, Jack and Mikaelian are expected to lock horns for a second time later this year, while WBC ‘interim’ champion Michal Cieslak, who demolished Jean Pascal in June, waits in the wings for his shot at the winner.
As for the remaining champions at 200lbs, it has now been confirmed that Jai Opetaia will defend his IBF strap against mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara in Australia – with a date yet to emerge – while unified champ Gilberto Ramirez continues to nurse an injury he sustained following his WBO and WBA title defence against Yuniel Dorticos.
