Tag: Jai Opetaia

Jai Opetaia has arrived.

The 2012 Olympian from Sydney endured a damaged jaw to take Mairis Briedis’  IBF cruiserweight title by a unanimous decision in a brutal, bloody upset Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia.

The scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs).

The 27-year-old southpaw, who turned pro in 2015, controlled the fight with his right jab and straight lefts that consistently found the target. He evidently broke Briedis’ nose in the fourth round, as it bled thereafter.

Briedis (28-2, 20 KOs) landed his share of heavy blows, which kept him in the fight and reportedly broke his opponent’s jaw in the second round. However, Opetaia endured and generally beat the Latvian to the punch to win rounds.

The new champion showed great determination in the final rounds, when it appeared his jaw might’ve been further damaged.

Opetaia is the first Aussie to win a world title on home soil since Jeff Horn outpointed Manny Pacquiao to win a welterweight title in 2017.

Briedis, 37, has had three reigns as a 200-pound champion.

Jai Opetaia has arrived.

The 2012 Olympian from Sydney endured a damaged jaw to take Mairis Briedis’  IBF cruiserweight title by a unanimous decision in a brutal, bloody upset Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia.

The scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs).

The 27-year-old southpaw, who turned pro in 2015, controlled the fight with his right jab and straight lefts that consistently found the target. He evidently broke Briedis’ nose in the fourth round, as it bled thereafter.

Briedis (28-2, 20 KOs) landed his share of heavy blows, which kept him in the fight and reportedly broke his opponent’s jaw in the second round. However, Opetaia endured and generally beat the Latvian to the punch to win rounds.

The new champion showed great determination in the final rounds, when it appeared his jaw might’ve been further damaged.

Opetaia is the first Aussie to win a world title on home soil since Jeff Horn outpointed Manny Pacquiao to win a welterweight title in 2017.

Briedis, 37, has had three reigns as a 200-pound champion.

Cruiserweight titleholder Mairis Briedis will defend his belt against mandatory challenger Jai Opetaia on Saturday in Australia.

MAIRIS BRIEDIS (28-1, 20 KOS) VS. JAI OPETAIA (21-0, 17 KOS)

• Date: Saturday, July 2
• Time: 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m.. PT (main event later in show)
• Where: Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia
• TV/Stream: ESPN+
• Cost: $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually
• Division: Cruiserweight (200 pounds)
• Weights (on Friday): Briedis 199.0, Opetaia 198.5
• Rounds: 12
• At stake: Briedis’ IBF title
• Pound-for-pound ranking: None
• Odds: NA

• Also on the card: Joel Camilleri vs. Koen Mazoudier, junior middleweights; Faris Chevalier vs. Conor Wallace, light heavyweights; Issac Hardman vs. Beau Hartas, middleweights; Taylah Robertson vs. Yoselin Fernandez, junior bantamweights
• Prediction: Briedis KO 9
• Background: Briedis’ second title defense against his mandatory challenger was postponed twice this year, first when the titleholder tested positive for COVID-19 and again when Opetaia was injured in training. Briedis, a three-time cruiserweight beltholder, defeated Yuniel Dorticos by a majority decision to win the IBF version of the title in the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament in September 2020. The 37-year-old Latvian successfully defended by stopping Artur Mann in three rounds in October 2021, his most-recent fight. His only loss was to current heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk, who narrowly outpointed him in 2018. Opetaia fought in the 2012 Olympics for Australia. The 26-year-old southpaw has cruised to a perfect record but hasn’t faced anyone near Briedis’ level of ability and experience as a professional. He’s coming off a third-round knockout of countryman Daniel Russell in December 2021.

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Cruiserweight titleholder Mairis Briedis will defend his belt against mandatory challenger Jai Opetaia on Saturday in Australia.

MAIRIS BRIEDIS (28-1, 20 KOS) VS. JAI OPETAIA (21-0, 17 KOS)

• Date: Saturday, July 2
• Time: 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m.. PT (main event later in show)
• Where: Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia
• TV/Stream: ESPN+
• Cost: $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually
• Division: Cruiserweight (200 pounds)
• Weights (on Friday): Briedis 199.0, Opetaia 198.5
• Rounds: 12
• At stake: Briedis’ IBF title
• Pound-for-pound ranking: None
• Odds: NA

• Also on the card: Joel Camilleri vs. Koen Mazoudier, junior middleweights; Faris Chevalier vs. Conor Wallace, light heavyweights; Issac Hardman vs. Beau Hartas, middleweights; Taylah Robertson vs. Yoselin Fernandez, junior bantamweights
• Prediction: Briedis KO 9
• Background: Briedis’ second title defense against his mandatory challenger was postponed twice this year, first when the titleholder tested positive for COVID-19 and again when Opetaia was injured in training. Briedis, a three-time cruiserweight beltholder, defeated Yuniel Dorticos by a majority decision to win the IBF version of the title in the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament in September 2020. The 37-year-old Latvian successfully defended by stopping Artur Mann in three rounds in October 2021, his most-recent fight. His only loss was to current heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk, who narrowly outpointed him in 2018. Opetaia fought in the 2012 Olympics for Australia. The 26-year-old southpaw has cruised to a perfect record but hasn’t faced anyone near Briedis’ level of ability and experience as a professional. He’s coming off a third-round knockout of countryman Daniel Russell in December 2021.

[lawrence-related id=14156]