The two -way respect deserved in an evening with Terence Crawford was able to bear fruit in the form of a Las Vegas Stadium Unification Blockbuster for Jai Opetaia.
Australian Cruiserweight Opetaia (27-0) defends his IBF and the ring bands on the Gold Coast on Sunday against the Italian knockout artist Claudio Squo (17-0).
If it is successful, the 29-year-old will then accelerate his push for more belts, a search for almost three years since his upset victory against Miris Briedis despite breaking his jaw in two places.
Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez will defend his WBA and WBO belts later this month and is the target of Opetaia, possibly on the Undercard of Crawford’s Superfight against Canelo Alvarez in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on September 25.
Crawford, who took Jeff Horn’s Welterweight title in 2018, will strive to become a fiveweight world champion and the first undisputed three-weight champion.
Opetaia has never fought in the United States, but has earned a reputation in the UK and has Saudi billionaire and Boks Supremo Turki Alalshikh in his corner after a series of pulverizing knockout wins in both countries.
Manager Mick Francis is planning to go to the US after Sunday’s fight to follow a deal, stimulated after a meeting with Future Hall of Famer Crawford on the Gold Coast last week.
“After he dealt with him, he is a real one from the sport and he realized that I was,” Opetaia told Aap of his time with Crawford during the American’s promotion tour.
“He knows who I am for the right reasons.“
Crawford, under the world’s best pound-for-pound talents, drew poverty, crime and violence associated with his Omaha education and now operates a non-profit gym there.
The Opetaia born in NSW enjoyed recent visits to hold Junior Clinics in Samoa, a heritage that he celebrates heavily on fighting evenings.
Opetaia has won 21 of his 27 fights by knockout and is considered one of the most frightening punchers in boxing. ((Monkey: Dave Hunt))
“There are many similarities in how he thinks, it was refreshing to hear his take,” said Opetaia.
“I have looked for him, now we are both up there, rubbing shoulders on the same stage.
“I’m telling you. Canelo-Crawford, with me and Zurdo on the Undercard … 100 percent.
“However, we cannot feel comfortable.”
That is because a shock loss for the non-planted but dangerous squo would end all those plans.
But Opetaia, who qualified for the Olympic Games as a 16-year-old and fought in the London 2012 matches at the age of 17, never rose for themselves.
A boxer of the fourth generation on the side of his father and the third generation to his mother, Opetaia cannot remember time that he was not near a ring.
“It was not a specific moment; I grew up, it was life,” he said.
“Training, boxing, sparring and punching.
“When I was a little boy, I would go for school for school, then the gym.
“There was no homework for me. My homework was training.
“That is what pushes me for the unification that fights so much.
“I always push up, my whole life just wants to win, win.“
The Congress Center map also has the Irish light heavyweight prospect Conor Wallace based in Brisbane, super welterweight Ben Mahoney and entertaining Olympic heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana.
MONKEY
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