Jai Opetaia vs. Jack Massey | PPV - 12 October 2024

[Ruthless-RKO]

Shakur Stevenson-Joe Cordina, six other fights announced for Beterbiev-Bivol undercard

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson was installed Tuesday as a co-feature fighter on the Oct. 12 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, card against Joe Cordina, announced Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

Stevenson, 27, of Newark, N.J., will return to the ring three months after recording a unanimous-decision win over Artem Harutyunyan in his final Top Rank fight. The Stevenson-Cordina bout is expected to be a co-feature of the undisputed light-heavyweight championship between unbeaten Russians Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

Stevenson was mandated by the WBC to face the dangerous William Zepeda, but this interim bout is being permitted and the Zepeda fight is being pushed to next year as Mexico’s Zepeda awaits the birth of a child, a boxing official familiar with the situation told BS Tuesday.

In the meantime, Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) will meet the former IBF super-featherweight titlist Cordina (17-1, 9 KOs) as part of seven undercard bouts announced Tuesday by Alalshikh.

“[Stevenson's] talented and young and if he's smart, we will do a lot of things with him," Alalshikh told ESPN.com. "There's a big fight with him in the future."

In other undercard bouts, 34-year-old Chris Eubank Jr (33-3, 24 KOs) looks forward to a consecutive win when he faces Kamil Szeremeta (25-2-2, 8 KO) at middleweight while heavyweight Fabio Wardley (17-0-1, 16 KO) and Frazer Clarke (8-0-1, 6 KO) prepare for a rematch.

Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KO) will defend his IBF cruiserweight title against Jack Massey (22-2, 12 KO), Ben Whittaker (8-0, 5 KO) will go toe-to-toe against Liam Cameron (23-6, 10 KO), and Skye Nicolson (11-0, 1 KO) is scheduled to defend her WBC featherweight title against Raven Chapman (9-0, 2 KO).

Nicholson-Chapman is the first women’s title bout to be staged in Saudi Arabia since Alalshikh asserted such influence upon the sport.

[damage]

Will the womens bout have to be fought in headscarfs?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Will the womens bout have to be fought in headscarfs?

doubt it.

they probably have their stomachs covered though and possibly arms,

Like in WWE. They had womens fights

[joshj909]

Not a top fight. I guess they're trying to build Opetaia as a bigger name for UK fans to maximize the profits for Opetaia vs CBS or Riakhpore but nobody who watches Massey hasn't already seen those other two.

Opetaia should have Ramirez and CBS as his only targets.

[JamesPhilips]

Not a top fight. I guess they're trying to build Opetaia as a bigger name for UK fans to maximize the profits for Opetaia vs CBS or Riakhpore but nobody who watches Massey hasn't already seen those other two.

Opetaia should have Ramirez and CBS as his only targets.

Will Opetaia stop him?

[Coco]

Will the womens bout have to be fought in headscarfs?

And Fast Cars gf is so boring to watch, even for a female fighter

[joshj909]

Not a top fight. I guess they're trying to build Opetaia as a bigger name for UK fans to maximize the profits for Opetaia vs CBS or Riakhpore but nobody who watches Massey hasn't already seen those other two.

Opetaia should have Ramirez and CBS as his only targets.

Will Opetaia stop him?

I guess that's one question as Massey has only been down against Riakhpore, right? I think I'd lean towards a stoppage but wouldn't bet heavy on it. It might also be an opportunity to compare himself with Parker who beat Massey by a fairly wide decision at heavyweight.

[Boxing Prospect]

Thanks Turki making the fights we all want! Only the best fights from our Turki!

[JamesPhilips]

Not a top fight. I guess they're trying to build Opetaia as a bigger name for UK fans to maximize the profits for Opetaia vs CBS or Riakhpore but nobody who watches Massey hasn't already seen those other two.

Opetaia should have Ramirez and CBS as his only targets.

Will Opetaia stop him?

I guess that's one question as Massey has only been down against Riakhpore, right? I think I'd lean towards a stoppage but wouldn't bet heavy on it. It might also be an opportunity to compare himself with Parker who beat Massey by a fairly wide decision at heavyweight.

Yup Massey seems solid but whether or not Jai stops him will be the key here

[magnus]

As on the other thread, they offered CBS the unification on this card and he said he didn't have enough time for his usual camp and turned it down, saying he could only make November or December.

[stevec@france]

Thanks Turki making the fights we all want! Only the best fights from our Turki!

TBH I am not sure optaia vs massey is really going to get fans excited .
I would have preferred to see him vs ramirez or another belt holder rather than this .

[Boxing Prospect]

Thanks Turki making the fights we all want! Only the best fights from our Turki!

TBH I am not sure optaia vs massey is really going to get fans excited .
I would have preferred to see him vs ramirez or another belt holder rather than this .

And Shakur Vs a fighter moving up in weight who was stopped last time out? Turki making sure everyone is facing only the best!

[gregregegg]

Jack massy is better than his boxrec rank suggest. Going competitive with roach por and Parker makes you a top 10 cruiserweight for me.

This is an absolutely fine fight, but really for Jai I think it should be unifications or heavyweight.

[THEBUTCH]

Jack is far more deserving than Ellis Zorro or Jordan Thompson. Both were completely ill-equipped to challenge a world class champion like Opetaia.

Massey can box smartly off the back foot and the fact he stayed the course with Joseph Parker shows he's got some metal to him....which will be needed !

[wrighty]

Jack is solid and well schooled. Jai is more explosive and flashier
. Jack can do it if Jai is looking past him and takes his eye off the ball

[JamesPhilips]

Jack is far more deserving than Ellis Zorro or Jordan Thompson. Both were completely ill-equipped to challenge a world class champion like Opetaia.

Massey can box smartly off the back foot and the fact he stayed the course with Joseph Parker shows he's got some metal to him....which will be needed !

Yeah I think it’s a decent match. Not mouth watering but decent. Massey is solid enough, as you say going distance with Parker as a cruiser is decent form. The Riakporhe fight was close (knockdown was not serious he barely touched down).

Obviously I’d rather see the other champs in there with Jai but this isn’t a bad fight. The real question is can Massey last the distance

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jack Massey looking to take opportunity against Jai Opetaia Oct. 12

“You've got to realize that not a lot of people get these opportunities. When it's there, you've got to take it and give it your all,” Massey, 22-2 (12 KOs), told Boxing Scene.

“It didn’t sink in at first. Obviously, I had the wedding, I was busy, and then it was a couple of days after and when I was lying in bed, I was like, ‘F**king hell. This is it.’ It’s mad.”

“He finished stronger. I think that was experience showing with Breidis because he's been in a lot of tough fights, twelve round fights,” Massey said.

“It's that experience that shows at the back end of the fight. He's been there. He's been at the back end of hard fights and he's comfortable. He can finish the twelve rounds off, whereas Jai's got a lot of stoppages on his record.

“I'm not sure how many times he's been the full distance - the full 12 rounds - but I'm guessing it's not as many as Breidis.

“I think that's the thing as well, when you're looking at a fight, finish strong. If you're watching Opetaia, he slows down towards the end. That's a massive factor that's going to play out. Over 12 rounds, he might start fast, he's really good for four or six, but it's the back end of the fight.”

[jameswilson]

Jack is solid and well schooled. Jai is more explosive and flashier
. Jack can do it if Jai is looking past him and takes his eye off the ball

I think Massey's chances are bloody slim even if he turns up with a perfect camp. Massey may well prove to be pretty good but I think Opataia is exceptional.

[margaret thatcher]

jai has an extra drop or two or three of talent and should win clearly, havent seen signs of him being the type to overlook guys and fight down to the level of opposition. he has also gutted it out in a really tough spot in the first briedis fight.

but id agree if he's not taking it seriously massey could give him some issues. massey is the steady fit all round sort who could pick up rounds working harder. seems to have a solid chin too. that said, id think even an off form jai would still be too much for jack in the end

[Ruthless-RKO]

[forcefraser]

Could be a nasty shellacking for Jack.

Although Parker didn't seem to trouble him that much, so he might see the final bell

[Gnome]

Thanks Turki making the fights we all want! Only the best fights from our Turki!

Ahem, you mean "His Excellency".
Great fight though, I will probably shell out.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jai Opetaia-Jack Massey: IBF grants exception, orders winner to face mandatory by January

The upcoming fight between Jai Opetaia and Jack Massey will indeed be allowed to be competed for the IBF cruiserweight title – in addition to Opetaia’s lineal championship – but the winner will have to defend next against the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger.

That mandatory challenger, Huseyin Cinkara, won an eliminator in April, knocking out Armend Xhoxhaj in 4 minutes and moving to 22-0 (18 KOs) in the process. Cinkara is ranked No. 1 by the IBF, while Massey is rated No. 11.


Opetaia’s team requested an exception to be allowed to defend the IBF belt on Oct. 12 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol.

The IBF approved that request on Sept. 25 under four conditions:

Opetaia vs. Massey can’t take place any later than Oct. 12.

2. The IBF must receive fully executed contracts for Opetaia vs. Massey by Oct. 10.

3. The winner of Opetaia-Massey must defend the IBF title by Jan. 20, 2025.

4. The IBF will not grant any more exceptions for defending against the cruiserweight mandatory challenger.

Opetaia is 25-0 (19 KOs). He won the IBF title and lineal championship in July 2022, when he defeated Mairis Briedis by unanimous decision. But Opetaia vacated the title after one defense. He had been ordered to have a rematch with Briedis but had also been offered significant money to go to Riyadh and face Ellis Zorro in December 2023 on the same show as Joseph Parker vs. Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin.

IBF rules prohibit consecutive voluntary defenses, according to a report at the time by Jake “Jazz Hands of Stone” Donovan.

“I fought through absolute agony to win that belt and it saddens me to relinquish it,” Opetaia told Donovan. “But the fact is, Briedis isn’t ready to fight on Dec. 23, and I need to stay active. I simply can’t turn down a career-high payday.”

Opetaia wound up rematching Briedis this May, with the vacant IBF belt on the line. Opetaia won another unanimous decision.

Massey is 22-2 (12 KOs) and is coming off a decision win in June over Isaac Chamberlain. Massey’s two losses were via decisions against then-cruiserweight prospect Richard Riakporhe in 2019 and at heavyweight against Parker in early 2023.

Cinkara’s recent victories have come against the 22-4-1 Al Sands, the 21-14 Vaclav Pejsar and the 20-10 Reinaldo Gonzalez. That was somehow enough to land Cinkara an elimination bout with Xhoxhaj, who was 18-3 at the time.

Xhoxhaj has already fallen short in two shots against upper-tier cruiserweights, stopped in four rounds by Mateusz Masternak in 2021 and knocked out in five rounds by Chris Billam-Smith in 2022.

[Ruthless-RKO]

So Opetaia gets an exception because he's facing the very deserving Jack Massey, but Usyk didn't, because he's rematching the undeserving nobody Tyson Fury,

[mickey1975]

So Opetaia gets an exception because he's facing the very deserving Jack Massey, but Usyk didn't, because he's rematching the undeserving nobody Tyson Fury,

I think it was more trying to get AJ a belt.