Unheralded German Pugilist Snatches Glory in Miami
Standing in the ring, Noel Mikaelian, a 33-year-old fighter hailing from Germany, raised his victorious fists, becoming the first German to claim a world title in the USA since the legendary Max Schmeling did so over nine decades ago. Victory came against Ilunga Makabu - the former world champion from the Congo - in a thrilling encounter at Miami, with Mikaelian securing a technical knockout in the third round to capture the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt. "I'm euphoric to finally have this green-and-gold WBC belt, it is the most prestigious, forever a dream of mine," Mikaelian expressed to sport.de/ntv.de following his triumph .
The initial moments of the bout were relatively uneventful, as both competitors measured each other up. However, Mikaelian started to take charge in the second round, landing a pair of crushing right hooks that sent Makabu crashing to the canvas. Makabu managed to beat the count and re-entered the ring just in time to break before the round came to a close.
The momentum swung decisively in Mikaelian's favor in the third round, with a series of six-punch combinations culminating in another devastating blow from the German, leaving Makabu defenseless. Referee Gene Del Bianco intervened, and the fight was brought to an abrupt halt as Mikaelian celebrated his unanticipated triumph .
This victory brings Mikaelian a plethora of key fights and positions him as a formidable contender in the cruiserweight division. The recent title vacancy arose when world champion Badou Jack surrendered the title following his victory against Makabu in February. As a consequence, Mikaelian seized the opportunity, ascending to the top of the WBC rankings and subsequently defeating Makabu to take the title .
With the WBC crown in hand, Mikaelian now stands in the midst of a three-way challenge for undisputed dominance in the major federations. There are formidable opponents in the division, including Arsen Goulamirian (WBA), Jai Opetaia (IBF), and Chris Billam-Smith (WBO) .
Hailing from Berlin and Hamburg, Mikaelian is the first German boxer to accomplish this feat in the USA since Schmeling's success in the '30s. The new world champion settled in Miami in 2019, donning the Armenian flag while competing in his championship journey .
Mikaelian's victory marked a significant turning point in his career, securing the WBC cruiserweight title since Schmeling's reign in the 30s. This triumph against the Congolese champion Makabu was nothing short of extraordinary, as Mikaelian displayed his prowess with a technical knockout in the third round .
Footnotes (): NTV.DE
Insights
Max Schmeling's tenure as heavyweight champion concluded in 1932, and since then, no German boxer has managed to win a world title in the USA.
The division of cruiserweight crowns is held by Chris Billam-Smith (WBO), Arsen Goulamirian (WBA), and Jai Opetaia (IBF) - competitors that Mikaelian now faces for an undisputed title.
