{"id":888490,"date":"2026-09-08T22:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T22:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/888490\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T22:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T22:56:09","slug":"don-king-files-cease-and-desist-to-block-opetaia-vs-mikaelian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/888490\/","title":{"rendered":"Don King files cease and desist to block Opetaia vs Mikaelian"},"content":{"rendered":"

This firm represents Don King Productions, Inc. (\u201cDKP\u201d), the exclusive worldwide
promoter of the World Boxing Council (\u201cWBC\u201d) Cruiserweight Champion, Noel Mikaelian
(\u201cMikaelian\u201d). DKP has a legally binding and valid Promotional Agreement (\u201cAgreement\u201d) with
Mikaelian that grants DKP the exclusive worldwide rights to engage Mikaelian\u2019s services for any
and all professional boxing matches.
It has come to DKP\u2019s attention that TKO Group Holdings, Inc. and Zuffa Boxing
(collectively, \u201cTKO\/Zuffa\u201d) have engaged the professional boxing services of Mikaelian, without
DKP\u2019s permission, consent or authorization, to engage in a bout against Jai Opetaia (\u201cOpetaia\u201d)
on September 12, 2026 in Las Vegas, NV (the \u201cBout\u201d). TKO\/Zuffa\u2019s actions are outrageous and
a clear tortious interference with DKP\u2019s Agreement.
Based on, inter alia, emails between you and DKP\u2019s legal counsel, Carl Lewis, Esq. (\u201cMr.
Lewis\u201d), there is absolutely no doubt that TKO\/Zuffa was and is aware that DKP is Noel\u2019s
promoter.
I understand that you were personally involved in discussions with Mr. Lewis regarding a
potential fight or multi-fight deal for Mikaelian, which would include a fight with Opetaia, and
that no agreement was consummated. It is particularly disturbing to know that TKO\/Zuffa\u2019s Chief
Operating Officer, Harrison Whitman, Esq., and the head of TKO\/Zuffa, Dana White, had at least
one virtual conference with DKP\u2019s President, Mr. Don King, and Mr. Lewis in an effort to secure
a Provision of Services (\u201cPOS\u201d) deal for Mikaelian, again which included a fight with Opetaia.
Although no deal was reached, it is indefensible for Zuffa\/TKO to completely ignore the DKP
Agreement, the promoter-fighter relationship between DKP and Mikaelian, and circumvent DKP
and engage the services of Mikaelian for the Bout with Opetaia.
TKO\/Zuffa cannot justify its actions by claiming that you negotiated with Mikaelian\u2019s
Manager, Anthony Girges and Mikaelian\u2019s attorney, James Greeley, Esq., as again only DKP can
negotiate and enter into an agreement with a third party for Mikaelian\u2019s services. The DKP
Agreement grants Mikaelian the right to \u201cdiscuss and explore\u201d other fight opportunities, but only
in consultation with DKP and under no circumstance can Mikaelian enter into an agreement with
another party for his professional services without the expressed consent and permission of DKP.
As stated above, TKO\/Zuffa\u2019s actions in promoting Mikaelian, without DKP\u2019s knowledge,
consent or permission, is a clear tortious interference of the Agreement. DKP does not and has not
granted TKO\/Zuffa permission to engage the services of its fighter, Mikaelian.
To be unequivocally clear, TKO\/Zuffa\u2019s actions constitute a knowing, intentional and
unjustified tortious interference with the Agreement. Any contracts that Mikaelian has entered into
or shall enter into for his professional services as a fighter, without the express, written consent of
DKP are void. The announced September 12, 2026, Bout between Mikaelian and Opetaia cannot
go forward. TKO\/Zuffa must immediately cancel the Bout between Mikaelian and Opetaia and
announce such cancellation in the media immediately. Furthermore, TKO\/Zuffa cannot engage
Mikaelian for any match without DKP\u2019s express, written consent and permission.
DKP has not and does not give TKO\/Zuffa permission to negotiate with Mikaelian or to
engage him, directly or indirectly, in any professional fights. TKO\/Zuffa is hereby directed to
immediately cease and desist its actions and to have no further communications and\/or business
dealings of any kind with Mikaelian. Any communications, discussions and dealings with Mikaelian for his professional services must be done by DKP.
Please confirm to me that you have received this letter by return email and that TKO\/Zuffa
will comply with this demand.
This letter should not be construed as a waiver of any rights, and DKP hereby expressly
reserves the right to pursue any and all remedies available at law or in equity.
Please be governed accordingly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This firm represents Don King Productions, Inc. (\u201cDKP\u201d), the exclusive worldwidepromoter of the World Boxing Council (\u201cWBC\u201d) Cruiserweight…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":888491,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[447],"tags":[703,711,49,48,82],"class_list":["post-888490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-boxing","tag-boxing-news","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/888490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=888490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/888490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/888491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=888490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=888490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=888490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}