Armenian fighter Norair Mikaeljan (27-2, 12 KO’s) will be stepping in against WBC cruiserweight (200 lbs) champion Badou Jack (28-3-3, 1 7 KO’s) after Canadian challenger, Ryan Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KO’s), was forced to pull out of his May 3rd bout against Jack. Rozicki and Jack were set to fight on the undercard of the Alvarez-Scull Riyadh Season event, but will reportedly be altered to see Badou Jack defend his title against Mikaeljan instead.
Mikaeljan had been the WBC title’s previous holder after beating former world champion Ilunga Makabu (30-4, 26 KO’s), older brother of heavyweight (200+ lbs) contender Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KO’s), in 2023 for the vacant WBC belt. Ryan Rozicki was designated as Mikaeljan’s mandatory opponent last year, though the Armenian contender was forced to withdraw from the ordered bout after injuries and a dispute with promoter Don King culminated in Rozicki facing Argentinian contender Yamil Peralta (17-1-1, 9 KO’s) for the WBC interim title instead.
Neither of the two would win, however, as a majority decision (MD) draw between them forced the vacant WBC interim title to be abdicated.
That same year, Jack was elevated from his own champion-in-recess status to become the WBC cruiserweight champion after the WBC ruled as such during their 2024 annual convention, forcing Mikaeljan to relinquish his WBC belt ― though, like Jack, Mikaeljan would be positioned as a champion-in-recess to allow him a future opportunity or promotion.
Following Badou Jack’s elevation, Rozicki again received the opportunity to fight for a world title on May 3rd but purportedly will once more see a title shot evaporate after suffering an injury during training, now allowing Norair Mikaeljan to step up in his place as a substitute opponent.
The WBC 200-pound title itself has not been made available in a title bout for almost two years since Mikaeljan beat Makabu in November of 2023 but seems to be coming back full circle as it had been Badou Jack who was supposed to face Norair Mikaeljan when the two had [unofficially] been ordered to face each other.
However, Jack went on a confusing hiatus instead after a failed attempt to challenge at the WBC-created division of bridgerweight, and eventually resurfaced after more than a year out of the ring to suddenly find himself a world champion again following the WBC’s convention last year.
