Opetaia and Usyk: Cruiserweight Champion meets Heavyweight King

Jai Opetaia reiterated on Saturday that he plans to quickly become the undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2025 and then move up to heavyweight to challenge Oleksandr Usyk for his belts if he still holds them.

Size difference

Usyk and Jai met on Saturday during the Ring Awards. When they stood side by side, Usyk looked much bigger than the 6’2″ Opetaia. If this fight is made, Opetaia will not enjoy his normal size advantage, which he has come to rely on at cruiserweight.

Also, his one-armed fighting style could lead to him being schooled and embarrassed by Usyk. Jai uses a hybrid Bivol style that he clearly learned from watching the former WBA Light Heavyweight Champion. Usyk has seen this style frequently during his years on the Ukrainian amateur circuit and will easily overcome it.

If Usyk loses his titles a Daniel Dubois in a rematch, it will put Opetaia in a position where he will have to decide whether to go after the belts against the formidable power puncher. It would be a bad look for Opetaia to fight Usyk anyway.

That would make him look like a coward. Jai will be tiny against Dubois if this fight ever happens. Even if Opetaia steps up, he’ll be small next to Dubois inside the ring. I don’t see a favorable outcome for the Australian. He is NOT another Evander Holyfield. He doesn’t have that kind of talent.

Opetaia’s promoter Eddie Hearn will need to set up the unification fights he needs to become cruiserweight champion this year against WBC champion Badou Jack and WBA and WBA belt holder ‘OMB Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramírez so that he has the possibility of reaching his goal this year. .

IBF cruiserweight champion Opetaia (27-0, 21 KOs) knocked out challenger David Nyika (10-1, 9 KOs) in the fourth round on January 8 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland , Australia.

First cruiserweight

“I’m happy it turned out the way it did. The fans got what they wanted. It was good to come home and have that kind of energy,” said Jai Opetaia atalkSport Boxingtalking about his recent victory over David Nyika on January 8 in Australia.

“No, I’m good to go back. I’m chasing these unification fights,” said Opetaia, reacting to being told his face looks unmarked less than a week after his four-round war with the puncher heavy Nyika

“I felt a little complacent. After the first round, I had this image in my head of one of those Hagler-Hearns type fights,” Opetaia said of being hit with some big shots from Nyika’s 6’6″ in the contest. “It was good to be a part of it. I’m happy to put on a good show and a good fight.

“Definitely, man. That’s the goal,” Opetaia said of wanting to be undisputed at cruiserweight and then move up to heavyweight to challenge Oleksandr Usyk for his world titles.

Oleksandr Usyk with Jai Opetaia #TheRingAwards pic.twitter.com/9zNJoeq1Ax

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) January 11, 2025