Noel Mikaelian is stepping in to face Badou Jack for the WBC cruiserweight title May 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sources tell The Ring.

Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KOs) replaces the injured Ryan Rozicki on three weeks’ notice. Mikaelian, a 34-year-old Armenian who fights out of Miami, was stripped of his WBC title last year after he was embroiled in a promotional dispute with promoter Don King.

He was named champion in recess while Jack was elevated to champion, and now Mikaelian has a chance to regain his title on the Canelo Alvarez-William Scull Riyadh Season undercard.

Mikaelian was set to fight Rozicki in June before he suffered a cut in sparring. The rescheduled September date was canceled when King fell ill.

Jack (28-3-3, 19 KOs) last fought in February 2023 in Riyadh when he stopped Junior Makabu in Round 12 to win the title. The 41-year-old Sweden native formerly was a world champion at 168 and 175 pounds.

Mikaelian’s last fight also came against Makabu, a third-round TKO in November 2023 to capture the title.