BoxRec

Jai Opetaia will fight in the co-main event to the Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn card on Sept 12th in Vegas, sources told The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger.

His opponent has yet to be finalized.

This dosent make sense to me... seems like your wasting a mainevent levle guy on an undercard when you dont have that many main event levle guys... which makes me suspect jai is going to be in another nothing fight... which sucks.

Jai vs CBS should be the minimum, but that would be a worthy main event.

Jai has had 5 mediocre fights in a row, surely he has to get back in meaningfull fights.

Jai Opetaia has been badly managed in my opinion 'it was a wrong move to leave Matchroom boxing and Eddie Hearn'.

Note: Opetaia is a talented fighter 'but in the professional ranks, it is also about marketability and creating a brand of fighter who has strong rapport with fans'.

Jai Opetaia from what I can see? Does not have much of a passionate fan base 'Hearn would have been aware of this, and tried his best to create a following for him in his professional career' etc.

gregregegg wrote: ↑28 Jul 2026, 23:18 This dosent make sense to me... seems like your wasting a mainevent levle guy on an undercard when you dont have that many main event levle guys... which makes me suspect jai is going to be in another nothing fight... which sucks.

Jai vs CBS should be the minimum, but that would be a worthy main event.

Jai has had 5 mediocre fights in a row, surely he has to get back in meaningfull fights.

Agreed. There's only about 5 meaningful fights for him in the division and CBS is the only one tied to Zuffa. It would be a continuation of his underwhelming career to pick anyone else.

Although promoters Sampson Lewkowicz & Don King made a deal for David Benavidez-Noel Mikaelian 3-belt cruiserweight unification fight for November, Mikaelian, I am told, did not agree, has (or will) sign with Zuffa (probable Opetaia opponent), & King likely will sue. Typical #boxing.

ANNOUNCED: Jai Opetaia will defend his Ring and Zuffa cruiserweight world titles against Noel Mikaelian in the co-main event of Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn.

#GarciaBenn l Sept 12th in Las Vegas

The IBF has filed a motion to dismiss Jai Opetaia's lawsuit.

Among the IBF’s arguments are two procedural objections: Opetaia filed the lawsuit in Nevada despite IBF rules requiring the suit to be brought in New Jersey, and Opetaia allegedly did not exhaust the IBF's mandatory internal appeal process.

Opetaia has until Sept. 8 to respond.