There’s no secret to world champion boxer Jai Opetaia’s success and he’s more than happy to share it with anyone who’ll listen.
“There’s no secret formula I could give you. It is legit, just hard work and dedication,” Opetaia told A Current Affair.
The 30-year-old is the undefeated IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion and those belts go on the line this Saturday night against another undefeated fighter in Germany’s Huseyin Cinkara.
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There’s no secret to world champion boxer Jai Opetaia’s success and he’s more than happy to share it with anyone who’ll listen. (Nine)
“This guy’s not very well known to the world, but I’m not stupid. I know he’s coming to fight,” Opetaia said.
Other boxers may hog the limelight but Opetaia is Australia’s only current male world champion.
The 30-year-old has 28 victories in his professional career, 22 of them by knockout.
One fight that did go the distance was when he first took the IBF belt against Mairis Briedis in 2022.
Briedis broke Opetaia’s jaw in round two but he battled on, winning on points over an excruciating 12 rounds.
“That’s the fight that people started to notice me, but we have been through the trenches to get there. You know, that was my opportunity to change myself and my family’s life forever,” he said.
The 30-year-old has 28 victories in his professional career, 22 of them by knockout. (Nine)
“You live and die by the sword. Broken jaw, broken bones, they gotta carry you out of that ring.”
It’s usually his opponents getting carried out of the ring, Opetaia broke Italian Claudio Sqeuo’s jaw in June.
He’s a fourth-generation boxer on his father’s side and knew from a young age he wanted to make a name for himself inside the ring
“Boxing is just all I’ve ever known. I’ve always dreamt of winning world titles and representing my countries and fighting on the biggest stages.”
Dad Tapu is his coach, raising a family of seven children in western Sydney before heading north and opening the family boxing gym on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Tapu wasn’t surprised when his boy won a world title with a broken jaw.
“He freaking loves it. Those sort athletes are easy to train, guide them which way to go and away they go,” he said.
At 17, Jai Opetaia fought at the London games as our youngest ever Olympic boxer and was already sprouting a work ethic beyond his years.
In an interview at the time, he explained how his school mates were telling him how lucky he was to go to the Olympics.
“It’s not luck that got me here, it’s hard work,” was his reply.
Opetaia is a fourth-generation boxer on his father’s side and knew from a young age he wanted to make a name for himself inside the ring. (Nine)
And that work ethic is what is taking him to new heights on the world boxing scene.
Former world champion fighter Danny Green says Opetaia is “the best fighter in the country by a country mile.”
The boxing world all wants to see a unification bout where Opetaia would fight the holder of the WBA and WBO belts, Gilberto Ramirez.
Opetaia’s fearsome record in the ring could have him running scared.
“He’s a tiger, a terror, it’s why it’s difficult for him to get the big unification bouts he thoroughly deserves,” Green said.
“He’s on a tear, and I just think he’s by far the best cruiserweight in the world.”
Opetaia is respectful when explaining his frustration at not being able to land a unification bout.
“It’s been a bit hard to try to get these other champions to take these fights, which I’m unsure why,” he said.
“There’s a lot of excuses floating around. I’m not here to bad mouth anyone. I respect every fighter that steps in the ring.
“I don’t look at them as easy fights but isn’t that what we want? Don’t we want to prove we’re the best? Don’t we want to become undisputed and be the best in the world in our division? And that’s what I’m chasing.”
For now, he’s chasing, Cinkara with Saturday’s bout taking top billing on a fight night which will be shown live and exclusive on Stan Pay-Per-View.
“I have prepared for 12 rounds of war. I’m willing to dig deep for this, losing to me is just not an option. Let’s see how tough this dude is.”
