YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The newly crowned WBC world cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian has said he’ll likely defend his title sometime in the first months of 2024.

Mikaelian, 33, who has a record of 27 wins and 2 losses, won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title after defeating Ilunga Makabu in Miami earlier in November.

Noel Mikaelian moved from Armenia to Germany with his family when he was four. He then moved to the U.S. to train for his boxing matches.

The WBC champion is now visiting Armenia, and on November 27 he met with the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Karen Giloyan.

Speaking at a press briefing on November 29, Mikaelian said it’s a great honor for him to be the second Armenian ever to have won the WBC title. The first Armenian to do so is Vic Darchinyan.

He said it’s too early to speak about future fights, but most likely he will defend his title in the first months of 2024.

“We are discussing the issue of organizing a professional boxing event in Armenia, which would make me very happy. I’d be proud to fight in the professional ring in Armenia,” he said.

Mikaelian, who represents Armenia in his fights, has won 12 of his 27 victories by way of knockout.

Speaking about his championship fight with Congolese boxer Ilunga Makabu, the Armenian champion said that organizing the fight wasn’t an easy task.

“Organizing the world championship fight was very difficult, because the boxer who had held the [WBC] title in the past [Makabu] knew that I was a tough opponent for him,” Mikaelian said.