Jai Opetaia, the undefeated IBF and The Ring champion, plans to travel to Los Angeles to personally confront his next target. The Australian boxer has made it clear that he will not rush his dream of unifying the cruiserweight titles.
Opetaia will make the mandatory defense of his belts against Turkish challenger Huseyin Cinkara (23-0) on December 6 on the Gold Coast.
This will be his eighth fight since he won both titles more than three years ago and comes after impressive knockouts in his only two appearances in 2025, raising his record to 28-0.
Despite his victories, the 30-year-old boxer has not managed to unify his belts. Opetaia’s power and Australia’s relatively small commercial market have deterred other title holders.
Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramírez, owner of the WBO and WBA belts, is the main obstacle, as he announced a defense for May of next year against the American David Benavidez, marking his return after shoulder surgery.
Badou Jack, born in Sweden and boxing out of Las Vegas, will put his WBC belt on the line in a rematch with Noel Mikaelian in Los Angeles on December 6.
Opetaia’s team has criticized Ramirez for avoiding Opetaia, who, if everything goes as planned on the Gold Coast next Saturday, will first aim for Jack’s WBC belt.
“They are laughing, but we keep winning,” said Opetaia.
“I’m not in a hurry. I’m calm, I’m winning, I feel good and I fight, I do my thing and these fights will come,” he affirmed.
Jai OpetaiaMick Francis, head of Tasman Fighters and promoter of Opetaia, revealed that both will travel to the United States immediately after the fight with Cinkara to force the situation with the winner of that fight. Opetaia is not interested in beating around the bush, but he will play along.“Everyone wants these fights to happen, people want to see these unification fights. If you want to fight, we will fight.” The Gold Coast talent will headline a stellar card that includes former world champion Jason Moloney, heavyweights Justis Huni and Teremoana Jnr, Max McIntyre, Ben Mahoney and Paul Fleming against Jake Wyllie. In a historic move, Francis has partnered with Stan Sports in a pay-per-view deal that will be the streaming service’s biggest boxing production, to compete with Fox Sports’ Main Event and the global streaming service DAZN. Opetaia, the youngest Australian Olympic boxer at the London 2012 Games at just 17 years old, and Huni were Francis’ first signings in 2017.“I don’t know why I would have to fly and face him; it’s getting a bit stupid,” he commented.
Jai Opetaia“They are starting to see it now, but it’s another day at the office for us. I only focus on winning, because that’s what matters. If I lose the fight, everyone will scatter.”“We have always gone against the current and done things differently,” Opetaia declared.
Jai Opetaia
