Jai Opetaia’s Rematch with Mairis Briedis Set as Chief Support for Fury-Usyk Showdown in Saudi Arabia
In a highly anticipated rematch, Australian cruiserweight Jai Opetaia (24-0, 19 KOs) will face off against Latvian star Mairis Briedis on May 18th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bout will serve as the co-main event for the highly anticipated heavyweight title unification clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
The first encounter between Opetaia and Briedis, which took place nearly two years ago in Gold Coast, Australia, was widely regarded as one of the finest cruiserweight fights in recent memory. In a stunning upset, the then-relatively unknown Opetaia wrestled the IBF title from Briedis with a unanimous decision victory, although he suffered career-threatening injuries in the process.
Opetaia recounts the fateful moment when his jaw was broken on both sides during the fight, saying, “I felt the exact punch. It was the third round, and I felt the crack in my jaw. When he broke the first side, it was the left side, I remember. I know why I done it, as well. I was sparring some southpaws [in the past], and when I’m sparring southpaws, I dip away from that rear hand. I was dipping to my left.“
The Australian’s recovery process was arduous, involving a period of rehabilitation and overcoming a range of debilitating issues, including a swollen throat and a severe infection. Opetaia persevered, however, and made his UK debut in September 2022 with an impressive fourth-round stoppage of England’s Jordan Thompson.
Despite being stripped of the IBF title for accepting a fight with the unranked Ellis Zorro, Opetaia remains unfazed, stating, “To be honest it has all worked in my favor. Only because I don’t talk s** about anyone, I just stay in my own lane. Me and my team, we just train hard and we win our fights. We perform well when it is time to perform, and the rest falls into place. They took the belt off me in my last fight, and I’m fighting for it in my next fight. So, two-time world champion, coming up.*”
The highly anticipated rematch between Opetaia and Briedis promises to be another thrilling encounter, as the two cruiserweight contenders vie for the coveted title in the co-main event of the Fury-Usyk showdown in Saudi Arabia.
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