Noel Mikaelian Defeats Badou Jack in Rematch to Become New WBC World Champion (VIDEO)

On the night of December 14 in Los Angeles, the long-awaited rematch between Noel Mikaelian (28–3) and Badou Jack (29–4–3) took place. After 12 rounds of an extremely intense bout, Armenian boxer Noel Mikaelian claimed a unanimous decision victory over the Swede and captured the WBC world title in the cruiserweight division.

The judges’ scorecards reflected a clear win for Mikaelian: 115–111, 116–110, and 116–110.

The fight was highly emotional and physically demanding. During the bout, both fighters were penalized with point deductions for illegal blows, further fueling the already heated atmosphere. Starting from round seven, Mikaelian gradually began to turn the tide of the fight, significantly increasing his activity and accuracy. In the championship rounds, he looked fresher and more confident, fully controlling the final stages of the contest.

A particularly notable moment occurred after the eighth round — immediately after the bell, the fighters continued exchanging punches, prompting cornermen and coaches to enter the ring to separate them. This incident clearly highlighted how intense and personal the rematch was.

Although the bout lacked finesse, it fully met fans’ expectations in terms of drama: constant close-range fighting, mutual exchanges, and maximum tension right up to the final bell.

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With his victory over Badou Jack (29–4–3), Noel Mikaelian reclaimed the WBC championship belt. His next potential opponent could be The Ring magazine champion Jai Opetaia — a matchup that already looks like one of the most intriguing clashes in the cruiserweight division.