‘Doesn’t make sense’: Opetaia team slams unusual WBC move
Jai Opetaia’s team has lambasted the actions of the WBC after the sanctioning body ordered his next opponent to fight WBO and WBA champion David Benavidez in a mandatory defence.
The Australian was controversially stripped of his IBF title after debuting with rebel organisation Zuffa Boxing in March.
Battles outside of the ring for Opetaia. nna\liam.oloughlin
The unbeaten cruiserweight’s team had negotiated to put his Ring Magazine title belt on the line against WBC champion Noel Mikaelian later this year.
However, the WBC intervened and ordered Mikaelian to fight Benavidez in a mandatory defence.
Opetaia’s team was baffled by the WBC’s unusual order for a fellow champion to be picked as a mandatory challenger.
“It just doesn’t make sense,” Tasman Fighters boss Mick Francis told AAP.
“How can a sanctioning body order a mandatory with a champion from another body? It’s never happened before.
“Any fighter in the WBC underneath Noel Mikaelian, what do they do?
“They get blindsided. There will be litigation everywhere from all those fighters beneath, and also Noel.”
Opetaia hopes to fight Mikaelian later this year. nna
Benavidez beat Gilberto Ramirez in May to claim the WBO and WBA belts.
Francis claimed Mikaelian would rather give up his WBC belt and fight Opetaia for the Ring title than face Benavidez.
“We’ve been in really good conversations and he wants to fight Jai ... he’d rather fight Jai, feels it’s a better opportunity to win, which I find crazy,” Francis said.
“So I can’t see that (Benavidez) fight happening any time soon. If the WBC is enforced, Noel will most likely vacate and still fight Jai for the Ring Magazine.”
Opetaia’s place in the boxing world is uncertain since he moved to Zuffa. If he opted to stay away, he would more than likely be facing Benavidez sooner rather than later.
He still holds The Ring title but needs to fight a Ring top-five ranked opponent every two years.
Mikaelian is ranked No.4.
Francis confirmed Opetaia would not be stripped as long as they continued their search for a top five ranked opponent.
