Cruiserweight contender Ryan Rozicki will have a vested interest when
Badou Jack and
Noel Mikaelian meet in their rematch on Saturday for the WBC title.
Rozicki, The Ring's No. 4-rated operator at 200 pounds, had been scheduled to face Jack on May 3 for the WBC strap, only for a biceps injury to halt those ambitions.
That
opened the door and allowed former champion Mikaelian to step into the breach and was edged out by Jack in a close run battle.
"I don't think either was impressive," Rozicki (20-1, 19 KOs) told
The Ring. "It was a fair result. It was a very boring fight. It didn't look like either one of them wanted to really hurt each other."
The two will run it back when they meet at Ace Mission Studios, Los Angeles.
"I think Badou Jack wins the rematch in similar fashion to how he won the first fight," he said. "I think Badou Jack is just the better fighter.
"From what I saw, in the first fight, Noel looked like a very timid, not confrontational fighter. Noel's movement wasn't working very well on him. I think Jack has more ability to hurt Noel, whereas Noel just kind of pushes his punches, he doesn't really plant his feet. If anybody scores the knockout it would be Badou Jack knocking out Noel."
Rozicki concedes that with Jack ending a two-year lay-off and Mikaelian coming back after over a year out, that both should be better this time.
"They're both have a little bit of rust in the first fight, so they're both in the exact same position," he said. "For the second fight they both going to be a little sharper."
While Rozicki has aspirations of fighting for the WBC title he believes it may be someone else who he will ultimately meet.
"I think the Polish champion [WBC interim titleholder Michal Cieslak] would knockout either one of them - I believe he is the better fighter," said the Canadian.
"That's why I want him to go first and then it's going to be me and him. I think we're the best two in the division."
Questions/comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X @AnsonWainwr1ght.