Mairis Briedis vs. Jai Opetaia | Wasserman - July 2, 2022

[Ruthless-RKO]

Mairis Briedis will travel to Australia to face Jai Opetaia in March

News reached The Ring that the premier cruiserweight in the world Mairis Briedis will face his IBF mandatory challenger Jai Opetaia in Australia on one of two dates in late March.

Briedis, who claimed The Ring championship against Yuniel Dorticos in September 2020, is excited about taking his titles on the road.

“We’re going to Australia,” Briedis (28-1, 20 knockouts) told The Ring. “As far as we’ve been told there is huge interest from Australia in the fight. It’s going to be a pay-per-view event.

“[Australian] people are excited to have the best cruiserweight in the world fight an unbeaten Aussie, it should be fun times.”

The 36-year-old became the first Latvian to win a world championship when he outboxed Marco Huck (UD 12) to claim the vacant WBC title in 2017. After successfully defending it against Mike Perez (UD 12) in the quarter-final of the WBSS, he lost a close decision against Aleksandr Usyk (MD 12) in a unification bout.

He won Season 2 of the elimination tournament, by scoring wins over Noel Gevor (UD 12), Krzysztof Glowacki (TKO 3) and Dorticos (MD 12). The rugged boxer-puncher most recently turned back the challenge of Artur Mann (TKO 3).

Opetaia was a top amateur in Australia and represented his country at the 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth games. He turned professional in 2015. The 26-year-old southpaw claimed the national and OPBF cruiserweight titles and holds wins over middle-level opposition including Mark Flanagan (TKO 8) and Benjamin Kelleher (TKO 6) all the while taking his record to (21-0, 17 KOs).

[Ruthless-RKO]

So it Briedis is staying at Cruiserweight, can we have him against Okolie in a unification?

[cormack]

So it Briedis is staying at Cruiserweight, can we have him against Okolie in a unification?

not sure breidis wants the smoke

[margaret thatcher]

good fight here, jai looks very talented and fighting at home , the young lion could pull an upset

[Ruthless-RKO]

good fight here, jai looks very talented and fighting at home , the young lion could pull an upset

Gonna be a ppv in Aus.

Fix is in.

Does Briedis not know what happened to Pac?

[KiwiRider]

good fight here, jai looks very talented and fighting at home , the young lion could pull an upset

Gonna be a ppv in Aus.

Fix is in.

Does Briedis not know what happened to Pac?

He will earn a career best payday I'm guessing. And probably a career second best payday in the rematch.
At his age, that's pretty tempting. There isn't a lot of money for top cruisers and it's too late for him to have a run at HW.
I'd take it if I was his age.

[margaret thatcher]

im picking jai here

[KiwiRider]

im picking jai here

Bold!
The only name on his resume I know of is Mark Flanagan.
No way has Jay even dabbled at Briedis' level.

[DrDuke]

Jai Op... Who???

[margaret thatcher]

briedis is also an older guy going into the hometown of a younger lion, it has the qualities where the less proven fighter can do it

[margaret thatcher]

Jai Op... Who???

hes good bruh, was former world junior champ in the ams and really talented. they got this at home cuz they believe in him

[DrDuke]

Jai Op... Who???

hes good bruh, was former world junior champ in the ams and really talented. they got this at home cuz they believe in him

Maybe. Just never heard of him. Anyway, Briedis hasn't been proven to decline despite his age.

[margaret thatcher]

not maybe, for sure bruh

[coneye]

Jai Op... Who???

hes good bruh, was former world junior champ in the ams and really talented. they got this at home cuz they believe in him

Theres levels , and Jai has'nt fought at this level ,,, But heh ,, Its Australia anything can happen in the land down under ,, Paccy fought he was going for a boxing match , no one told him they had changed it too a wrestling match ,,, Roy Jones JNR , GOT KOE'D with a phantom punch in the first rnd ,,, Paul Briggs got ko'd with a punch that completly missed him in the first rnd , , Big Daddy Brown , was'nt told he was supposed to hit the rugby player back , ,,, So an aging champ looking for a payday ,, have an each way bet

[gregregegg]

Could be perfect timing for Jai. I think briedis 4 years ago beats any version of jai opetaia... but 2022 briedis, on away soil...

Still, Jai really needs that inbetween fight first. going from having never beat a soild top 50 to fighting the top dog. Big jump.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Date confirmed. Just need a venue now.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Will be in Australia.

[margaret thatcher]

jai gonna win

[gregregegg]

jai gonna win

That would be one of the greatest step up wins ever... I hope so i just cant see it. Hard to go from beating guys mabey top 100 to beating number 1.

[Lackeos]

Not really feeling this match-up. Briedis is 37, he should be looking for the best available opponents (Mateusz Masternak, Badou Jack) before his prime and his drawing power decline.

[JxhDel.]

So now Jake Paul is called Jai Opetaia?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Joe Opetaia's world title fight delayed after Mairis Briedis catches COVID

Jai Opetaia's date with destiny has been delayed yet again as IBF world cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis recovers from COVID-19.

After months of negotiations, Opetaia's promoter Dean Lonergan had been scheduled to announce April 6 as Opetaia's shot at Briedis on the Gold Coast.

Instead, the fight has been postponed for "three or four weeks" after Lonergan received a phone call early on Wednesday morning saying Briedis now has the flu.

"He had COVID and now he says he has the flu," Lonergan told AAP.

"I'm now waiting for a doctor's certificate.

"The fact that he's asked for this extra time to get over the flu tells me that he's taking this very, very seriously."

If and when the fight does finally take place, Opetaia will carry an undefeated record into the showdown after winning 17 of his 21 professional fights by knockout.

Briedis (28-1, 20KO) has suffered only one loss during his decorated career.

But, at 37, the former Riga policeman is 11 years older than Opetaia.

"I feel much more confident in my abilities and I feel like I'm 25. I'll come to Australia to show my best," Briedis said in pre-recorded message from Latvia.

Opetaia said the "fact he's talking about his age means he's worried about it".

[Ruthless-RKO]

Mairis Briedis-Jai Opetaia Title Fight Rescheduled, May 11 In Australia's Gold Coast

Mairis Brieidis is once again healthy and armed with a new fight date.

The reigning lineal/IBF cruiserweight champion is back on track to proceed with his mandatory title defense versus unbeaten Jai Opetaia. The rescheduled bout will take place May 11 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in the Gold Coast suburb of Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. The fight was pushed back by five weeks after Briedis (28-1, 20KOs) had to withdraw from the previously announced April 6 date after testing positive for Covid.

Breidis hits the road for his second title defense after enjoying a home game for his previous outing. The 37-year-old cruiserweight king enters on the heels of a one-sided third-round knockout of overmatched Artur Mann last October at Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia. The fight was his first since winning his third cruiserweight title following a twelve-round, majority decision win over Yuniel Dorticos in the World Boxing Super Series Season Two cruiserweight finals in September 2020.

In his time since the win over Mann, Briedis has bizarrely set his sights on content creator and cruiserweight novice Jake Paul (5-0, 4KOs), The pursuit has included Briedis getting a leg tattoo of Paul along with dropping a diss track in response to Paul’s own callout of UFC president Dana White.

Paul responded to the callout by claiming to be unaware of ‘Mario Briedis,’ prompting the reigning cruiserweight king to don a Super Mario Bros. costume while working as part of the February 27 DAZN broadcast in London featuring WBO cruiserweight titlist Lawrence Okolie. Briedis was asked to serving on the hosting panel to discuss the possibility of a unification bout with Okolie but will first honor his mandatory title defense obligation.

Opetaia (21-0, 17KOs) is a highly credentialed former amateur standout, though who carries a thin resume in the pro ranks. The 26-year-old southpaw represented Australia in the 2012 London Olympics, doing so as the reigning Junior World Champion and—at age 16—the youngest ever boxer to represent Australia in the Olympics.

The pro run for Opetaia hasn’t been nearly as spectacular, though he has developed as a gate attraction at home. His popularity was enticing to convince Briedis—who is prompted by Wasserman Boxing—to travel down under for his next adventure. Opetaia has yet to fight a scheduled 12-round bout, while having only fought beyond the eighth round just once through six-plus years and 21 pro fights.

Briedis has won his last five starts since his lone career defeat, a 12-round loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their January 2018 cruiserweight title unification bout.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

Mairis Briedis (28-1, 20 KOs) will defend his IBF and Ring Magazine World Cruiserweight Titles against undefeated mandatory challenger Jai Opetaia (21-0, 17 KOs) on Wednesday May 11 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.

Briedis captured the IBF and Ring Magazine World Titles when defeating Yuniel Dorticos in the final of the World Boxing Super Series in September 2020, becoming a three-time World Champion, and cementing his position as a pound-for-pound star and the number one Cruiserweight on the planet.

Following a successful defence of his belts against German challenger Artur Mann in Riga in October 2021, the 37-year-old will now travel down under to face fast-rising Australian star Opetaia on his home turf. The fight was originally scheduled for April 6 but was pushed back after Briedis contracted Covid.

“I look forward to coming to Australia to defend my World Titles,” said Briedis. “I know my opponent is a good boxer. He is a southpaw who is undefeated and who has had a very decent amateur career. As always, I will give my all in training camp and I will come to Australia to show my best boxing. I hope me and Jai can put on a great boxing spectacle for the fans.”

Sydney-born southpaw Optetai is a decorated amateur, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Youth World Championships and represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games. Following his amateur success, the 26-year-old made his professional debut in 2015 and has earned his shot at Briedis’ Cruiserweight crown with an impressive run of 21 victories.

“It’s a dream come true to get a shot at the World Title and on top of that it’s happening right here on the Gold Coast which is brilliant,” said Opetaia. “I’m a resident in Surfers Paradise so you can’t get any more Gold Coast than that. This is my chance to announce myself to the world. I want to bring home another World Title to Queensland just like Jeff Horn did.”

The fight, which will be promoted by Dean Lonergan for D and L Events in association with Wasserman Boxing, will be the first World Title bout to be held in Australia since Jeff Horn defended his crown against Gary Corcoran just over five years ago in Brisbane.

“This will be a fantastic occasion and I applaud Tourism Events Queensland, Major Events Gold Coast and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate for throwing their support behind what will be a very special event,” said Lonergan.

“We remember that fight (Horn-Corcoran) and also that incredible day when ‘The Hornet’ defeated Manny Pacquiao to win the World Title at Suncorp Stadium in 2017.

“Now we are getting right behind Jai to achieve his dream and bring home another World Title to Queensland and on his own turf on the Gold Coast.”

Despite his Australian counterpart’s optimism, Briedis’ promoter Kalle Sauerland is confident the champion will be returning to Latvia with the belts.

“Mairis Briedis is a three-time World Champion who has consistently fought the best boxers out there,” said Sauerland. “He’s coming to Australia as World Champion and will be leaving as World Champion. His knockout power is sensational but also his technique, his prowess and his finishing abilities. It’s time for Mairis to show once again why he is the number one Cruiserweight on the planet.”

This event is supported by the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! In Queensland events calendar.

[Enlightened-One]

I don’t know anything about Jai Opetaia. And nor do I recognise the names on his resume.

I’m assuming the Aussie fighter is being used as a tune-up opponent, because Breidis seems to only compete once per year nowadays.

Anyway, I’m not going to make a prediction, because I know nothing about Jai Opetaia, but I am interested in watching Breidis compete, regardless of the calibre of the opposition he faces.