Ilunga Junior Makabu will reportedly no longer defend his WBC Cruiserweight Championship against Noel Mikaelian at Casino Miami Jai Alai on January 21, 2023. Promoter Don King has provided no explanation as to why the bout is no longer taking place. Instead, King has decided to promote a heavyweight bout featuring Jonathan Guidry and Bermane Stiverne on the same date at the same location.
Hailing from the state of Louisiana, Jonathan Guidry is a 33-year-old heavyweight contender with a professional record of 18-1. Last year, Guidry suffered his first pro loss at the hands of WBA “Regular” Heavyweight Champion Trevor Bryan. Nearly five months later, he returned to fight Dacarree Scott at Casino Miami Jai Alai. In his bounce-back fight, he picked up a knockout victory.
Bermane Stiverne is a 44-year-old heavyweight veteran with a pro record of 25-5-1. In his 16-year career, he has won the WBC Heavyweight Championship and fought a number of prominent fighters, including Deontay Wilder, Joe Joyce and Chris Arreola. However, he has fought only three times over the last three years and lost each bout by knockout. Most recently, Trevor Bryan stopped Stiverne in the 11th round.
While Don King promotes a heavyweight showdown featuring Stiverne and Guidry, it is unclear if Makabu will look to defend his WBC Cruiserweight Championship at a later date. King nor Makabu have issued a statement regarding their plans for the future.
