REVENGE AND REIGN: MIKAELIAN MASTERCLASS UNSEATS JACK FOR WBC CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE
Noel Mikaelian corrected a "debatable" first fight by using his smart jab and combinations to defeat Badou Jack via a clear unanimous decision for the WBC title.
Noel Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KOs) has finally grabbed that world title he's been chasing for a year, beating Badou Jack (29-4-3, 17 KOs) by unanimous decision. The win at CMH 2: Rematch Season secures him the WBC Cruiserweight World Championship for the second time.
After a tight, debated first fight, Mikaelian came to Los Angeles ready to leave no room for doubt. He used his jab, constant combinations, and smarts in the ring to control the fight from start to finish.
“We fixed it. This time, I got my hand raised,” Mikaelian said, celebrating in front of his fans.
“It felt like home having so many fans here. I'm happy to show how important mental health is—it means a lot because of what I've been through.”
Jack, a two-time world champ, came with his usual aggression but couldn't get his game going. “He gets dirty. He was pushing with his head, and the ref didn’t say anything. He was also holding my hand. I had to change my plan. I don't get angry in the ring, but you have to let loose sometimes,” Mikaelian explained.
Looking back, Jack gave props to the new champ. “This wasn’t my best night, but no excuses. He was better tonight, dirty tricks or not. I thought I had a great training camp; he did too. I don’t need to prove anything. I’ve done it all. I love to fight, so we’ll see what happens.”
With this win, Mikaelian not only got the world title but also set himself up for a possible fight with David Benavidez, but only if Benavidez beats Gilberto Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas.
Fight Highlights – Main Event
From the start, Mikaelian’s jab set the tone, keeping Jack away and landing good counters. For the first three rounds, Mikaelian was in charge, setting the pace and making Jack defend.
Around the middle of the fight, Jack tried to put on the pressure, working inside and forcing them to hold each other. But Mikaelian’s quick counters and footwork stopped Jack from gaining any ground.
In the later rounds, Mikaelian stayed calm and in control. He threw more punches, landing clean combinations and taking advantage of openings when Jack got too aggressive. These attacks showed Mikaelian’s control and how he planned the fight. When it was over, the judges' scores showed a clear win for Mikaelian: 116-110, 116-110, 115-111.
Rising Stars Shine on the Undercard
Jonny Mansour (6-0, 2 KOs) honoured his mother, who passed away, with a solid unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Jaurez (12-10-3, 5 KOs).
“We aren’t promised tomorrow. "Everyone wants money and success, but you will be remembered for how you loved your family," Mansour said.
Robert Daniels Jr. (9-2, 8 KOs) is back with a first-round knockout of Tristan Hamm (1-3, 1 KO), making it eight KOs in a row and showing his power at cruiserweight.
Brook Sibrian (9-2, 4 KOs) won the vacant WBC International Light Flyweight Championship, beating Gloria Munguilla (8-3) by majority decision, turning around last year’s loss.
“It all started when I lost to her earlier this year. It’s been a great ride, and I’m happy to end the year on a high note,” Sibrian said.
Julius Ballo (2-0), moving up two weight classes, scored a knockdown in the fourth round and took a unanimous decision over Juan Centeno (10-25-4, 2 KOs), showing he’s more experienced than he is.
Other fighters who won on the undercard include Devi Davitan, Samvel Gandillian, Angel Lozano, Isaac Anguiano, and Sergio Herrera, who gave Jose Vargas Quintana his first loss, proving that CMH 2 brings together top talent and up-and-coming fighters.
HOW DANIEL DUBOIS SURVIVED TWO KNOCKDOWNS TO STOP A BLOODY FABIO WARDLEY
"I had to dig deep." Read Daniel Dubois' full reaction to his stunning comeback victory against Fabio Wardley in Manchester.
The punch that changed everything wasn't thrown by either of the fighters.
Fabio Wardley came out blazing in his title defence, dropping Daniel Dubois just 10 seconds in. He did it again in the third round, making it look like his big night. But then, something strange happened. As Dubois got up after the fourth round, his trainer, Don Charles, slapped him hard on both cheeks.
That’s when Dubois woke up. “I had to make him realise what he needed to do,” Charles said afterwards. It’s not exactly the kind of thing you see at team-building seminars, but it worked. Dubois turned on, and suddenly Wardley’s reign started to unravel.
Wardley had picked Dubois for the first fight since collecting the WBO belt that Oleksandr Usyk dropped. Honestly, it looked like a smart pick: he dropped Dubois twice and set the tone. But after that slap, Dubois started seeing Wardley’s moves coming; those wild lunges became easier to dodge.
He landed his stiff jab and followed up with savage right hands. Wardley’s jaw somehow took the hits, but his nose was pouring blood, and his right eye was almost swollen shut. He kept pushing forward, showing crazy heart, while Dubois just kept piling on. The fight turned into a brutal spectacle, the kind you can’t look away from.
Wardley got checked twice by doctors but kept fighting. Honestly, it could've stopped before the second-to-last round, when referee Howard Foster finally stepped in. Dubois got his second world title; Wardley, battered and worn, just managed a thumbs up to his mum.
Dubois summed it up later: “I had to dig really deep. When you’re a warrior, you go to dark places. I was nervous at first, all over the place, and had to fight my own battles. That slap woke me up. My dad and everyone were in my corner; I couldn’t let them down.
“Fabio came to fight; he was tough. We were exhausted; it was a real war. I had to use all my skills to win. Great fight, great battle, and I’m No. 1 again.” Sure, Usyk might argue about that, but Dubois proved something; he got up off the canvas and won.
People have called Dubois a quitter since the Joe Joyce fight six years ago. Wardley himself thought Dubois would fold again in Manchester, and for three rounds it looked like he was right until reality snapped Dubois awake.
HEARN HITS BACK: CONTRACT DISPUTE THREATENS DANA WHITE’S MASSIVE FURY VS AJ PROMOTION
"This year is the busiest of my career." Read Dana White’s full statement on promoting the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight.
Dana White is set to take the lead as promoter for the upcoming clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
After a long wait, Fury and Joshua will finally face off later this year in what promises to be a major British heavyweight showdown.
The fight is lined up to happen, provided both fighters navigate their respective warm-up bouts first. Joshua is expected to step into the ring against Kristian Prenga on July 25.
This event is shaping up to be massive, with the fighters’ usual promoters, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren, continuing to represent them.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh will be backing the event financially, and it’s slated to be broadcast live on Netflix.
In a surprising move, Dana White from Zuffa Boxing has announced he’ll be the one promoting the fight.
White said, “This year is hands down the busiest of my career. I’m travelling widely, fully focused on Zuffa Boxing, signing fighters and putting on solid fights. We’ve also struck a deal with Sky in the UK, so look out for quality matchups there. And yeah, I’ll be promoting the Tyson Fury vs AJ fight.”
His role doesn’t come without complications, though, especially since Hearn and Warren are often viewed as rivals.
Tensions between White and Hearn have been rising recently, particularly after White signed Conor Benn, which didn’t sit well with Hearn.
White’s ability to lead this event comes largely through Alalshikh’s backing, who has been a key financial supporter of the UFC Boxing initiative.
Unsurprisingly, Eddie Hearn responded sharply to White’s announcement.
Calling White a clout chaser, Hearn dismissed the idea as contractually impossible and challenged White to back his words.
With this level of friction, things might get even more heated in the weeks ahead.
No official date or venue has been announced yet for the fight, but there’s hope among fans that it will take place in the UK.
