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

[margaret thatcher]

think theres decent chance of an upset, opetaia hasnt fought great opposition but is very talented. mariris is almost 40, boxing in his opponent's backyard, and has underperformed before........see the noel mihalkin fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The press release say it’s the first world title fight in Aus since Horn defended against Cochran.

[gregregegg]

Opetaia might get anthony yarded here.... Get his man at the right time but still come up short due to a lack of good inbetween fights getting him ready.

I really hope he gets him, but geeeeze this is a step up in class. He has basicaly gone from english title levle, skipped british levle, euro levle, and contender levle, soft title levle and is going in with the top guy in the division (although i think okolie is probably a harder fight at this point i still have briedis top dog).

[Ruthless-RKO]

Mairis Briedis-Jai Opetaia Oft-Postponed Title Fight Moves Forward, Set For July 2

The show will finally go on for Mairis Briedis.

BS.com has confirmed that a new date is assigned to Briedis’ second defense of his lineal/IBF cruiserweight championship versus mandatory challenger Jai Opetaia. The twice-postponed bout will now take place July 2 at the originally targeted location of Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.

Wasserman Boxing, Briedis’ promoter, confirmed that the show will move forward in hopes that the third time’s a charm. The bout will air live on Australia Main Event in that part of the world, while ESPN+ has picked up the U.S. rights beginning 5:00 a.m. ET according to its current schedule.

Briedis (28-1, 20KOs) hits the road for the second time during his third tour as a cruiserweight titlist.

The 37-year-old from Riga, Latvia outpointed Yuniel Dorticos over twelve-rounds in their oft-postponed World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament final in September 2020 in Munich, Germany. Briedis entered as the challenger, having previously claimed the WBO title but forced to relinquish for failure to honor a WBO-ordered rematch following their controversial June 2019 affair which Briedis won by third-round knockout.

Wedged in between the IBF title win and his upcoming defense, Briedis scored a third-round knockout of Artur Mann last October in his Riga hometown.

The mandatory title defense against Opetaia (21-0, 17KOs) was due to take place April 6, only for Briedis to withdraw from the date after testing positive for Covid. The bout was rescheduled for May 11 but once again put on hold when Opetaia suffered an injury—ironically discovered on April 6, when they were first due to fight—which required minor surgery.

Wasserman and D & L Events—the local promotional outfit headed by Dean Lonergan—worked together to keep intact as much as possible from the original promotion, save for a new fight date.

Opetaia enters as a considerable underdog given his lack of depth in the pro ranks. However, the unbeaten challenger and regional favorite is a highly credentialed former amateur standout, representing Australia in the 2012 London Olympics. He did so as the reigning Junior World Champion and—at age 16—the youngest ever boxer to represent Australia in the Olympics.

The combination of Opetaia’s favorable IBF ranking and local appeal was enough to bring this fight to Australia, where Briedis will fight for the first time in his well-traveled 13-year career.

Briedis previously held the WBC cruiserweight title, which he lost after one defense in a January 2018 narrow decision in favor of Oleksandr Usyk (19-0, 13KOs) who went on to become the undisputed champ one fight later.

Usyk vacated all four major titles by 2019, when he embarked on a heavyweight run that has led to his claiming the WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO titles following a September 2021 win over Anthony Joshua. Briedis has since emerged as the class of the cruiserweight division and its lineal champion.

[KiwiRider]

Sky finally put some boxing on, and it's this....

[margaret thatcher]

this is a cool fight bruh, the division #1 (well i think oko's the best, but breidis is 1 on achievement) travelling into the backyard of a much younger guy who's looked pretty good. briedis has also had off nights before, like vs mikhalkin. im up for this one, think jai has a decent chance

[coneye]

this is a cool fight bruh, the division #1 (well i think oko's the best, but breidis is 1 on achievement) travelling into the backyard of a much younger guy who's looked pretty good. briedis has also had off nights before, like vs mikhalkin. im up for this one, think jai has a decent chance

I'd like to think he has a good chance , but realisticly you do need to have performed at a lot higher class than he has to succeed ,,, all the best to him though , he won't die wondering what if .

[margaret thatcher]

this is a cool fight bruh, the division #1 (well i think oko's the best, but breidis is 1 on achievement) travelling into the backyard of a much younger guy who's looked pretty good. briedis has also had off nights before, like vs mikhalkin. im up for this one, think jai has a decent chance

I'd like to think he has a good chance , but realisticly you do need to have performed at a lot higher class than he has to succeed ,,, all the best to him though , he won't die wondering what if .

noel mikhalkin could've been scored the winner over briedis when they fought, and he hadnt competed at anywhere near the level brideis had

fighters beat more proven guys all the time. obviously having fought good opposition helps, but it's not necessary all the time

briedis is in his late 30s, and given the fight's slocation its gonna be opetaia who gets all the breaks. he's a talented kid too. this isnt a prime briedis in a neutral location vs a ho hum opponent. i think a lot of factors are in favour of the fight being much closer than people think

[coneye]

this is a cool fight bruh, the division #1 (well i think oko's the best, but breidis is 1 on achievement) travelling into the backyard of a much younger guy who's looked pretty good. briedis has also had off nights before, like vs mikhalkin. im up for this one, think jai has a decent chance

I'd like to think he has a good chance , but realisticly you do need to have performed at a lot higher class than he has to succeed ,,, all the best to him though , he won't die wondering what if .

noel mikhalkin deserved the win over briedis when they fought, and he hadnt competed at anywhere near the level brideis had

fighters beat more proven guys all the time. obviously having fought good opposition helps, but it's not necessary all the time

briedis is in his late 30s, and given the fight's slocation its gonna be opetaia who gets all the breaks. he's a talented kid too. this isnt a prime briedis in a neutral location vs a ho hum opponent. i think a lot of factors are in favour of the fight being much closer than people think

Hope it is for Jai's sake , would be nice to see the upset

[gregregegg]

This is a giannnnt step up for jai and will be too far unless briedis is well faded.

Big similarity’s to yard vs kov but this is an even bigger step up. Plus jai isn’t as explosive as yards so will have to wear down briedis rather than explode on him.

Everything will have to go right for jai here. Briedis will have to get old, have a bad flight and have a hard time adapting to aus time.

See this as a jai needs to win round 1 and 2 through enthusiasm, will lose round 3 4 5 6 and 7th through experience , then needs to come home strong over the top in the 2nd half through freshness.

[margaret thatcher]

i think jai is better than noel mikhalkin, who probably shouldve gotten the win vs breidis in chicago. not an impossible task for jai, though yes it's a tough tough ask

[gregregegg]

i think jai is better than noel mikhalkin, who probably shouldve gotten the win vs breidis in chicago. not an impossible task for jai, though yes it's a tough tough ask

Honestly I wouldn’t bet on jai being better than mikalk (I have seen/don’t remember seeigg my him at all, but his record is better considering both his losses look debatable.)

Interesting to think if those losses went his way would mikalk be considered a true top dog. I mean I guess he would be a champ so that helps. Briedis went compeditive with many peoples p4p number 1, so if you arguably beat him a year later it’s a good look.

[margaret thatcher]

mikhalken could barely beat stephen simmons, he's okay but nothing particularly good. wlod was well past it when he lost to him too

[AngryGoon38]

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

I selected "A Draw", as my predicted outcome of this CW championship bout.

The younger boxer will put up a Really Good fight I think.

Going to be a Really fun filled Clash for Certain !

[KiwiRider]

Well I hope you guys who think Jai has a chance here are right.
I just see him way over his head.
But since this is on Sky and is not PPV, I'll give it a watch.

[margaret thatcher]

watching some jai today........man this kid is talented, gonna shock da world

[Ruthless-RKO]

Mairis Briedis happy Down Under, all set for Jai Opetaia challenge

Highly decorated boxer-puncher Mairis Briedis will finally put his Ring and IBF cruiserweight titles on the line against mandatory challenger Jai Opetaia at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Australia on Saturday.

Briedis, who claimed The Ring championship by outpointing Yuniel Dorticos in September 2020, had been due to face Opetaia on April 6, but had to postpone after contracting Covid. The contest was rescheduled for May 11, only for the challenger to suffer a rib injury.

“I’m not really getting stressed out about things that I can’t control or change,” Briedis (28-1, 20 knockouts) told The Ring through Raimonds Zeps on Sunday. “I had this experience when we were fighting Dorticos, when the fight was moved. I was stressing a lot about it back then, but I took it as a lesson and a good learning curve. It is what it is. You get prepared for three fights but only have one. It’s more expensive but we can’t control it. We are here now and we are ready for July 2.”

Late last year, the 37-year-old Latvian decided to accept the offer to venture further afield and broaden his horizons.

“We’re not looking for the easiest path, this is a very good challenge that I am looking forward to,” he explained. “I’m happily surprised with everything I see here in Australia; about the reception, about the country itself. They have good boxers over here. I sparred with a couple of them and they are tough nuts to crack. I’m pleasantly surprised of the boxing level here.

“It was not about money or anything else, it was more about the challenge. To grow you have to exit your comfort zone. This was a great challenge for me to overcome and we will see how the fight goes. Having been in North America and Europe, now I’ve got a chance to show myself to the Australian public which is good for the legacy.”

Briedis believes that the arduous journey is all part of the experience.

“The first part of training was in Riga, then we moved here to adjust [to the seven-hour time difference] in the Gold Coast,” said Briedis, who traveled over 30 hours from his home in Riga, via Copenhagen and Doha before arriving in Brisbane on June 18.

“The week we’ve been here felt like a month because we had jetlag to overcome. Now I understand why we barely see any Australians in Europe, it’s a very long and expensive trip. We still had to move on with training – we had no choice – it didn’t matter what time it was at home.”

Over the past few months, the normally reserved titleholder has shown more of a playful side. Bizarrely, he got a tattoo of Jake Paul on his thigh and, more recently, attended a Lawrence Okolie fight in London dressed as computer game character Super Mario.

“It started as a joke, but then people started reacting and they wanted the fight [with Jake Paul], so there was more publicity,” explained Briedis. “Since [wearing the Super Mario costume], my kids are calling me Super Mario. It’s a learning curve for me. Spiderman had his first costume which wasn’t anything fancy, then he grew up to have a really cool costume. I have outgrown Super Mario and I have to think of other things moving forward.

“We are shifting things up a bit. People get used to seeing boxers and they want to have something new. We’re going to give them something new for the entrance and whatever happens this week.”

However, while Briedis doesn’t mind a bit of fun, he is also the consummate pro and is focused on the task at hand.

“When you put together a puzzle; adding piece to piece, for me I want to do the same with belts,” said the defending champion. “I know people in England really want me to fight [WBO titlist] Okolie. If they want it, it would be another challenge for me, but first we have to overcome what is in front of us.”

Opetaia was a top amateur in Australia and represented his country at the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth Games before turning pro 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). His record is 21-0 (17 KOs).

[cormack]

Well I hope you guys who think Jai has a chance here are right.
I just see him way over his head.
But since this is on Sky and is not PPV, I'll give it a watch.

not on sky tv .
pity

[KiwiRider]

Well I hope you guys who think Jai has a chance here are right.
I just see him way over his head.
But since this is on Sky and is not PPV, I'll give it a watch.

not on sky tv .
pity

Oh?
It is here down under
Live on Sky.

[Dioufy]

Bookies have Maris just a slight favourite. Could be an upset and major shake up at 200 here.

[Ruthless-RKO]

ESPN+ Weigh-In Results From Gold Coast

The three-time and defending IBF cruiserweight titlist arrived at a fit and ready 199 pounds (translated from his announced weight of 90.3 kg.) for his title defense versus Sydney’s Jai Opetaia (21-0, 17KOs) this Saturday on the road at Gold Coast Convention Centre in the Gold Coast suburb of Broadbeach, Australia. Opetaia was well under the limit, sporting the bottom half of a track suit as he hit the scales at a ripped and lean 198.4 pounds (90 kg.) for his first title challenge.

Below are the weights for the rest of the undercard.

Faris Chevalier (13-1, 7 KOs), Brisbane, Queensland, 174 ½ pounds (79.15 kg) vs. Conor Wallace (8-1, 6 KOs), Fortitude Valley, Queensland, 174.4 pounds (79.1 kg)—10 rounds, light heavyweight

Joel Camilleri (22-7-1, 10KOs), Brisbane, Queensland, 153.2 pounds (69.5 kg) vs. Koen Mazoudier (9-2, 4 KOs), Blacktown, NSW, 153 ¾ pounds (69.75 kg)—10 rounds, junior middleweight

Taylah Robertson (5-1, 1 KO), Brisbane, Queensland, 114.9 pounds (52.1 kg) vs. Yoselin Fernandez (11-1, 5 KOs), Caracas, Venezuela, 125.9 pounds (57.1 kg), 10 rounds, junior bantamweight

Dana Coolwell (7-2, 5 KOs), Beerwah, Queensland, 125.7 pounds (57 kg) vs. Lorenz Ladrada (11-2-1, 3 KOs), Malitbog, Philippines, 125.3 (56.85kg) pounds—8 rounds, featherweight

Isaac Hardman (12-1, 10KOs), Brisbane, Queensland, 160 pounds (72.6 kg) vs. Beau Hartas, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 159 ½ pounds (72.35 kg)—10 rounds, middleweight

David Nyika (3-0, 2KOs), Hamilton, New Zealand, 199.8 pounds (90.65kg) vs. Louis Marsters (1-2, 1KO), Melbourne, 199 ¾ pounds (90.6kg)—4 rounds, cruiserweight

[gregregegg]

bookies have it suprisngly close.

Interesting that jai has come in so far under the limmit... probably 197lb when you take into acount he was still wearing trackpants. I doubt he actualy weighs under 200, just probably means he got nervy and cut too much weight (always an error).

[Ruthless-RKO]

Date: Saturday July 2, 2022
Location: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre - Broadbeach, QLD 4218, Australia
TV/Stream: Kayo ($59.95) | FITE tv ($12.99)

Start Times
Kayo | FITE tv: 7 pm AEST | 5 am ET | 2 am PT | 10 am BST | 11 am CEST | 12 pm EEST (Main Card)

Promoted by: Wasserman & D & L Events

Fight Card

IBF World Cruiserweight Championship
Mairis Briedis vs. Jai Opetaia

WBA Oceania Super Welterweight Championship
Joel Camilleri vs. Koen Mazoudier

WBA Oceania Light Heavyweight Championship
Faris Chevalier vs. Conor Wallace

10 Round Middleweight Bout
Issac Hardman vs. Beau Hartas

10 Round Super Flyweight Bout
Taylah Robertson vs. Yoselin Fernandez

8 Round Featherweight Bout
Dana Coolwell vs. Lorenz Ladrada

4 Round Featherweight Bout
Miles Zalewski vs. Shiva Mishra

Cruiserweight Bout
David Nyika vs. Louis Marsters

Heavyweight Bout
Austin Aokuso vs. Laurence Titter

[Ruthless-RKO]

Posted this now before I forget in the morning.

[KiwiRider]

I'm going to have to watch this the next day, the main event doesn't start until 2am my local time.
Couple of undercard fights that aren't totally predetermined, so that's good.