The rematch between Badou Jack and Noel Mikaelyan now carries a good cause along with a major belt at stake.
Part two between the pair of top cruiserweights is now set to headline a December 13 “Championing Mental Health” event in Los Angeles, California. Both the date and location for the WBC 200lbs title fight were confirmed by the event organizer.
“It’s official” read a post from Championing Mental Health Boxing, accompanied by a fight poster advertising the event.
Jack, 29-3-3 (17 KOs), will attempt the second defense of the belt he was reissued last December. The rematch will come six weeks after his 42nd birthday. He retained the belt in a disputed majority decision win over Mikaelyan, 27-3 (12 KOs), this past May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The competitive fight and its disputed outcome were deemed by the WBC as sufficient grounds to approve Mikaelyan’s request for an immediate rematch.
Both sides originally reached terms ahead of a previously scheduled purse bid this summer. However, a default in the process forced the WBC to send the matter back to a public hearing.
The rescheduled purse bid was won by Bash Boxing as the lone bidder and who will promote the event in association with 555 Media.
Both fighters will have a full training camp to specifically prepare for the other, a luxury neither boxer was afforded earlier this year.
Mikaelyan accepted the fight with Jack on short notice, replacing an injured Ryan Rozicki. His agreement to step in and challenge for the title he previously held came as he was reportedly due to return to the ring later that month on a Don King card that lacked any other details.
Jack – a 2008 Olympian for Sweden who is now based in Dubai - won the WBC 200lbs belt in a February 2023 12th-round knockout win over Ilunga “Junior” Makabu. He then opted to campaign at bridgerweight, in lieu of a mandatory title defense against Mikaelyan. Jack agreed to vacate in exchange for a direct shot at the WBC bridgerweight belt, which never materialized.
Mikaelyan actually won and lost the title in the same fashion as was the case for Jack’s first reign at the weight. He claimed the vacant belt in a third-round knockout of Makabu atop a November 2023 card in his adopted hometown of Miami.
Like his predecessor, Mikaelyan’s reign also ended without a single defense, though one was scheduled – several times over. He was due to face Rozicki in a mandatory title defense but repeatedly postponed due to an assortment of issues.
It ultimately came out that Mikaelyan was in litigation with King, at which point the WBC had him swap places with Jack and assume the champion in recess tag.
Jack previously held titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight.
