By James Hicken
OVER the previous few years, Jai Opetaia has confirmed himself to be among the best fighters on the earth and the de facto king of the cruiserweight division. Because the departure of Oleksandr Usyk, there was a scramble for the scattered world titles he left behind. Though Opetaia has solely been in a position to declare the IBF title twice in that point, defeating one other of the perfect cruiserweights of the time, Mairis Briedis, his devasting energy and exact abilities have positioned him on the high of his division.
After efficiently defending his IBF title towards Jack Massey on October twelfth, the query stays: What’s subsequent for this rising phenom, and what paths lay open for him to discover?
Unification
Opetaia’s clearest possibility, and the one he has expressed as his present precedence, is cleansing up the cruiserweight division and turning into the undisputed champion.
To have the ability to solidify himself as the perfect cruiserweight on the planet, Opetaia must battle no less than three extra instances at his present weight. Since beating Massey, the IBF has insisted that Opetaia defends towards his necessary challenger, Huseyin Cinkara, or he can be stripped of his title once more, having suffered the identical punishment for selecting to battle Ellis Zorro in Saudi Arabia final yr.
He’ll, due to this fact, have to stay affected person to unify the division while battling towards the IBF.
“I’m just pursuing unification of belts”, Opetaia defined. “So I’m really chasing those progress fights.”
November sixteenth, Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Chris Billam-Smith may have a unification bout for the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles. This battle looks as if the proper subsequent step for the Australian as he’ll have the ability to defend towards his necessary after which tackle the winner of Ramirez vs Billam-Smith to develop into the unified champ, leaving just one belt to gather.
In an ideal world, Opetaia might develop into the undisputed cruiserweight champion by the top of subsequent yr if the promoters can line up schedules and fighters keep wholesome. His remaining hurdle to this is able to be the WBC champion Norair Mikaelian, who has been inactive for greater than a yr after profitable his inexperienced and gold strap.
It’s onerous to discover a motive to consider that Opetaia doesn’t comfortably beat the opposite champions within the division at a time when the pool of cruiserweight expertise is in a minor lull. I might anticipate to see Opetaia make these his first steps to greatness.
Heavyweight
A glance additional down the road, maybe at a transfer to heavyweight for the Australian. It has been a query that he has been requested increasingly more ceaselessly as he dispatches his cruiserweight opposition with ease.
Standing at six ft and two inches, ought to Opetaia resolve to enterprise as much as heavyweight then he could be a contact undersized on this trendy heavyweight period, he has additionally acknowledged he comfortably makes the cruiserweight restrict, bringing into query whether or not or not he might placed on sufficient measurement to compete and compensate for his missing top.
This isn’t to place limitations on a fighter based mostly purely on their measurement as this has been confirmed a fallacy many instances, one merely has to have a look at the likes of David Haye and Oleksandr Usyk on this trendy period of heavyweights. Each of those fighters stand just one inch taller than Opetaia and each claimed heavyweight gold after a transfer from Cruiserweight.
Opetaia has additionally been within the ring with heavyweights earlier than, most famously he was referred to as into Tyson Fury’s coaching camp for his battle with Oleksandr Usyk.
The hearsay mill then started to flow into as Opetaia was despatched residence in a short time after their first sparring session. Some speculated this was as a result of Opetaia dropped Fury, and others have mentioned that Fury wished extra orthodox sparring. Nonetheless you learn into it, Opetaia actually appears as if he has what it takes to compete with a lot bigger opponents.
It does appear that this isn’t an pressing matter for the 29-year-old as he’s laser-focused on the challenges of his present division.
“I definitely see myself heading down that direction,” Opetaia revealed. “But like I said, without winning these fights, that’s just talk.”
He additionally mentioned: “once I go up I don’t want to come back down in weight”.
This most likely tells us will probably be a transfer he makes at a later stage of his profession, and he feels no stress to pack on the kilos simply but.
Shifting as much as heavyweight is a really actual possibility for a person of Opetaia’s talent and energy and can stay an open choice to him for the remainder of his profession, so there isn’t a must rush out of the cruiserweight division when there may be nonetheless work to do.
Jai Opetaia assaults Jordan Thompson throughout their cruiserweight battle at Wembley Area on September 30, 2023 (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Artur Beterbiev
The newly topped undisputed light-heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev, may very well be an attention-grabbing proposition for a battle with the IBF cruiserweight champ. Although this battle is a contact extra imaginative than the opposite offered choices, Beterbiev has expressed an curiosity in transferring as much as cruiserweight.
Talking earlier than his unification bout with Dmitry Bivol, he mentioned: “We’ll see after. Challenges may be in different categories. Go up [in weight]. I’m not focused on these things”
The most important battle on supply for him could be the battle with Opetaia and the Australian has additionally expressed an curiosity on this battle.
Talking on Beterbiev, he mentioned: “Yeah, for sure. He’s a great champion, and I’m always willing to test myself to be great”
Regardless of feeling barely exterior the realms of risk, this battle could be an thrilling prospect and could be nice for the careers of each fighters. Beterbiev’s advancing age as a boxer, sadly, has to return into the dialog as he should battle Dmitry Bivol once more, and Opetaia will wish to unify earlier than taking a look at prize fights, so it’s questionable that the timing will ever be proper for each.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 12: Artur Beterbiev punches Dmitrii Bivol throughout the IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO World Mild Heavyweight titles’ battle between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol as a part of the Riyadh Season – IV Crown Showdown card at Kingdom Area on October 12, 2024 in Riyadh. (Photograph by Richard Pelham/Getty Pictures)
Oleksandr Usyk
A battle that actually is sensible and is at present wanting extra possible than ever, is for Opetaia to battle the present unified heavyweight champion and former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, to aim to write down his title within the historical past books among the many greatest cruiserweights of all time.
A battle between these two could be monumental for boxing and much more so for the cruiserweight division, which can have by no means seen a battle of this potential magnitude.
Opetaia has been an admirer of Usyk for his entire profession and appears like he has been ready within the wings for this chance to show himself.
“I would love to fight Usyk one day,” Opetaia informed Sky Sports activities earlier than his battle with Jack Massey. “It’s a battle that I’ll undoubtedly be chasing. I’ve been round Usyk for a very long time. We have been each on the similar Olympic Video games.
“I’ve at all times been shut. I’ve at all times been within the shadows. I really feel like my alternative’s getting nearer and nearer to being in there towards him.
Now at 37 years outdated, many would have anticipated the Ukrainian to retire as a heavyweight, however Usyk made a shocking assertion earlier this yr shortly after his first battle with Tyson Fury.
“I think maybe after the rematch, I am going to go down in weight to cruiserweight I want more [fights at] cruiserweight” Usyk informed the ‘3 Knockdown Rule’ podcast in June.
“Maybe I can be undisputed for a second time in the cruiserweight division, it’s my plan. When I start to prepare for my training camp [as a heavyweight], I have to eat all the time. For me it’s hard, I don’t like it.”
Ought to Usyk really make this uncommon transfer again down in weight, one would anticipate the proper opponent for him to see if he can develop into undisputed cruiserweight champion once more to be Jai Opetaia.
Maybe Opetaia would be the undisputed champion by the point the battle will be made. Whichever approach it shakes out, it’s simple that this is able to be an infinite alternative for Opetaia and a battle that it will be onerous to write down him out of.
Oleksandr Usyk lands a left hand on Tyson Fury throughout their heavyweight battle at Kingdom Area on Could 18, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Richard Pelham/Getty Pictures)
