In a significant move, Jai Opetaia reinforced his standing in the boxing game, ending his latest fight brutally and swiftly before calling out Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramírez—a WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion.
The cruiserweight retained his IBF and The Ring titles, delivering a commanding performance Sunday night at the Gold Coast, where he brought the fight to an end during his fifth round against unbeaten Claudio Squeo.
Having cautiously begun the fight, in control and landing a clean blow, Opetia landed a strong uppercut on his Italian opponent during the third round and, in the fourth, sent him sprawling with a clean body shot. In the fifth round, Opetaia ended the match with a brutal right hook, breaking Squeo’s jaw.
Opetaia had shattered his own jaw in the same ring during his 2022 IBF world title win against Mairis Breidis and sympathised with Squeo.
With his sights now set on a fight against Mexican boxer Gilberto Ramirez, Opetaia faced the broadcasting cameras after the end of his fight and challenged, “Next fight is Zurdo Ramírez. He’s mentioned me, he’s told me he’ll fight me next… so let’s get it on.”
Opetaia intends to head to California to watch Ramírez’s upcoming fight against Yuniel Dorticos. In the event of Ramírez’s victory, the fight between him and Opetaia could take place later this year.
Mick Francis, the promoter of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, addressed the fight, confirming that an Opetaia-Ramirez fight could be held at the venue, but stated that he would need to attempt to gain the support of the Queensland government to fund it.
Several other fights also took place on Sunday:
Aussie Connor Wallace emerged as the victor of a tough match against Dylan Colin following a unanimous decision by the judges, where he fought through a possible injury to the ear in the second round, having to stay smart to hold up against a tricky opponent.
Tyler Blizzard also won against Rocky Ogden, consequently gaining the title of IBF Pan Pacific Featherweight champion, using strong footwork and techniques to earn points over his fellow Australian opponent.
One of Australia’s younger stars, 20-year-old Max McIntyre, succeeded in improving his record to 9 wins with a knockout victory over Ricaia Warren during the 6th round. Max McIntyre is swiftly garnering recognition as a highly promising prospect in the Australian boxing industry, prompting conversations about possible future bouts against undefeated boxers.
In the meantime, Japanese boxer Junto Nakatani added another world title to his belt, beating Ryosuke Nishida, with the fight being paused after the 6th round when Nishida couldn’t continue due to an injury suffered to his right eye. Nakatani now holds the IBF bantamweight title as well as the WBC belt, making him the top fighter in his weight class.
The win takes Nakatani’s record to 31 victories with 24 knockouts, with fans allegedly hoping for a dream match between him and Naoya Inoue, who was watching from the audience and also stands as an unbeaten boxer, with 27 knockouts in 30 wins. A match between Nakatani and Inoue would be the biggest in Japanese boxing history.
Back in the Australian boxing arenas, Opetaia’s next move will be closely watched amidst Zurdo Ramirez’s upcoming fight against Yuniel Dorticos. If the unification fight with Ramirez happens, it could be one of the most important matches of the year and could potentially lead him towards establishing himself as the top boxer in his weight class worldwide.
