r/Boxing • u/Expensive_Judge182 • 23h ago
Eddie Hearn: Opetaia May Move To Heavyweight, If Unification Doesn't Arrive
https://ringmagazine.com/en/news/jai-opetaia-may-move-up-to-heavyweight-if-a-unification-doesn-t-take-place-soon-says-eddie-hearnHearn: "I think we'll fight Cinkara around November, December time," Hearn continued. "If we don't get a unification after that, then it might be time to step up to heavyweight. It might be a little earlier than anticipated, but you can't just wait around forever.
37
u/kushmonATL Inoue and Crawford up next in Sept 🔥💪🏾 21h ago
Thing is, did Zurdo actually express he wants a unification or is it an idea that's pushed on him? Badou Jack more than likely isn't going to unify either
Seems like Jai should move up because it's Top 2 the most dead division besides middleweight
16
u/AnOdeToSeals 20h ago
Ramirez has said that he wants it, but his actions make him seem reluctant.
He is out injured now, but I think he wants to unify, ideally without fighting Opetaia if he can help it.
7
u/OrangeFilmer 21h ago
Yeah it’s looking real interesting. IIRC Zurdo has said he wants the unification so what’s the hold up? There’s something going on behind the scenes in negotiations that we aren’t privy to.
7
23
u/Seedsw 19h ago
It’s crazy to think we’ll probably get Itauma vs Opetaia one day.
3
u/Southern-Key-9721 11h ago
For real! Between Usyk, Itauma and Opetaia, think we could be entering the Era of the Southpaws in the HW Division.
14
u/FreshPrinceOfRivia Ryan García destroyed Devin Haney and you can't change it 20h ago
It's fascinating how the behemoths who used to rule the HW division are being replaced with smaller guys (mostly)
13
u/AnOdeToSeals 20h ago
It might be the case, I don't think the other champs are too keen to get in the ring with him and are probably secretly hoping he moves up so they can get an easier shot at the IBF.
Come on Turki, just offer them a bunch of money to get the fight made!
8
u/VlamonZob 18h ago
2025 is a terrible year for Cruiserweights. Briedis retiring had bigger impact than people thinks.
19
u/Adventurous_Two_9683 21h ago
I think he is fringe top 10 at heavyweight, he only looks good at Cruiserweight because it's a weak division.
Then again, I thought the same about Usyk, so what do I know?
27
u/Fast_Original_3001 21h ago
Opetaia is very fast and quite skilled mid and long range. Dude will do very well and after Usyk retired probably pick up a belt
17
u/AnOdeToSeals 20h ago
He also throws every punch with mean intentions, need a lot of stamina to be able to do that for 12 rounds.
14
u/willinaustin 20h ago edited 20h ago
Hope he works on his defense. He's gonna be small for the division and he gets hit a lot. You can't doubt the man's heart and determination, but his actual durability has to be somewhat in question. Broken jaw, broken nose, etc.
3
u/AnOdeToSeals 20h ago
Its his style, it allows him to get caught sometimes. Plus he doesn't mind trading or taking a punch to land one.
I wonder if he will change it a bit for heavyweight though. I'm hoping the extra weight and not having to cut will help his chin etc.
1
u/Billcosbyfan125 14h ago
Jai is such a natural looking cruiser I wonder if he even has to cut weight besides maybe a few pounds of water weight.
2
u/AnOdeToSeals 14h ago
He said he walks around at ~220 and he doesn't blow up between camps. Even though he said he makes the weight easy, I think he cuts pretty hard to get there.
2
u/Prudent_Zombie_2692 11h ago
Yeah heavyweight Opetaia might bulk up a little but obviously not having to cut will benefit him. Will still be small
1
u/Matty0698 18h ago
Damn it's alright like I've seen this one before, same was said about Usyk, I wouldn't doubt the man he is very good
1
u/Top_Profession_5268 7h ago
I don’t think his defence is soo bad, more his endurance in high pace fights. For example Bredis in the later rounds showed Opetaias endurance was starting to go down a little at the end of the fight. A Chesora will give him work and a hard fight and a great introduction to HW though. Same with Dubois.
19
u/Jachola 21h ago edited 19h ago
I think fringe is too harsh lol especially when guys like old man Zhang and 300 lb Bakole, Hrgovich and Fabio Wardley are top ten HWs, he can definitely beat all those guys depending on how he bulks up
-1
u/BiglyStreetBets 17h ago
J’ai opetaia is is a naturally small guy though. The reason why Zhang in his 40s could still be highly ranked is because of his insane naturally Big frame and heavy hands and being 300 lbs and 6’7…. He barely touched Parker and knocked him down twice. If he was younger he could’ve folded him.
Jai is only 6’1 and naturally only 175 lbs… huge difference to compare him to guys like Zhang.
I’ve met Jai and he’s much smaller on person. I’m 6’4 215 and towered over him and I was surprised how small he was. He’s not a heavyweight material at all. Hes very short with a pretty narrow frame.
3
u/Jachola 16h ago
No he isn't, Jai is cutting to 200 he's naturally around 210-220 from his own words. Also talking about Parker, both Jai and Parker fought Jack Massey, Parker took him the distance while Jai brutalized him. He'd definitely have to bulk up and would be a smaller HW but Parkers had success and other guys have aswell it's not impossible. Zhang is big and strong but that doesn't matter if he doesn't have cardio to go past 4 rounds. Jai is athletic, quick and I think his power will do fine at HW, especially when these guys are so unathletic.
-2
u/BiglyStreetBets 16h ago
Yes he is. I know Jai from high school. He’s naturally not over 200 lol… he was 145-155 in school and at 17 his last year he got a bit bigger to 165 when he had his growth spurt.
2
u/Jachola 16h ago
Clearly not if you're saying he's 175 when he's fighting at 200 lol
-3
u/BiglyStreetBets 16h ago
Jai is NATURALLY at 175. He was 175 as a grown adult out of high school.
I’m a doctor, I don’t think you understand how physiology works… someone can be naturally a certain weight, but it doesn’t mean they can’t gain weight through putting on fat or artificially muscle through diet and resistance exercise via weight training.
Jai being 200lbs doesn’t mean it’s his natural weight.
2
u/MutaliskGluon 16h ago
I was 134 in high school in grade 12 and then by Christmas 1st year I was 155 and then a year later I was 180.
High school weight for dudes is weird because some of us keep growing and getting bigger in early 20s
-2
u/BiglyStreetBets 15h ago
I’m a doctor. This is not how it works.
Your frame stops growing. You’re not getting heavier in your 20s because you scull or you femur is getting bigger. People can be heavier in Their 20s because they put on muscle or fat. In your case it’s the latter.
2
u/MutaliskGluon 15h ago
Lmao what the fuck are you getting on. I didn't get fatter lmao.
I started working out, went from maxing bench at 80 to 275 and also grew from 5 10 to 6 feet.
Lmao at your stupid assumption that I got fatter.
-1
u/BiglyStreetBets 15h ago
You just proved my point. So in other words your natural weight didn’t ibncresee in your 20s. You artificially put on weight by doing. Resistance exercise wxcercisr
If you stopped, then you’d fall back to your natural weight.
People are different sizes naturally. This is simple biology.
Are you even a doctor?
2
u/MutaliskGluon 15h ago
No I'm not.
I'm 6 feet now and was 5 10 when I graduated.
Last year I had an adult tonsilectomy at 34 years old (worst experience ever Holy fuck it was torture).
After going 2 weeks laying down in bed barely eating, and losing 17 pounds.... I was still heaver than I was in high school. Like still 10+ pounds heavier.
I am just bigger now than when I was 18. I have chronic hand pain and can no longer lift weights. Even doing that, I'm still 25 pounds heavier than when I graduated high school.
And I still have visible abs (you can search this exact user name on Twitter to see for yourself lmao)
→ More replies (0)1
1
u/MutaliskGluon 16h ago
Honestly if he started prepping for HW a year ago, put on 20 pounds and got used to the extra weight he's probably in the hergevic tier imo.
He's fast as fuck and while he's no usyk, we saw what usyk did to this division.
1
u/Super_Opinion4226 11h ago
You don’t know too much it seems like lol When Usyk became undisputed at cruiser weight it was one of the toughest and most competitive divisions. Popularity doesn’t equate to weak/strong division .
1
u/mysticlown 14h ago edited 14h ago
Sounds like he wants to stay at CW and finish what he started. He could try to make a fight with Chris Billam- Smith after his next mandatory. Unfortunately, I think Zurdo will duck him after surgery for a tune up and Jai will probably have to explore his options at HW.
1
u/Ill-Lie5737 14h ago
I think opetaia is a beast but his style would not translate well in the heavyweight if he keeps it the way it is. Usyk is a technical non stop pressure fighter.
Opetaia is a borderline swarmer who puts back intentions behind his shots. Conor does something similar but the heavyweight is a dangerous place to be doing that when your coming in as a smaller fighter.
Opetaia can fight like usyk though and it will be intersting to see if he adopts usyk style (the cardio will be put into question) or if he keeps being a mean mf.
1
u/NWOfourlyfe420 20h ago
Please Opetaia vs Usyk. I’d even hold Turki’s hand if he can make it happen!
-1
u/Fast_Original_3001 21h ago
Here‘s what‘s gonna happen:
Opetaia fights Cinkara, wins in usual fashion. Beterbiev wins his fight brutally, but his age shows more. Trilogy with Bivol follows in February. Bivol wins again. Opetaia has a long spell of inactivity until he fights Bivol end of the year at CW. Beterbiev may or may not fight Benavidez around summer next year, depending in how old he looks and takes Bivols punches and if he is ripe for the taking.
2
u/Jachola 20h ago
If he did stay at CW I'd love to see Opetai vs Bivol, truly don't know who'd win. Bivol is probably the most skilled and elusive fighter Jai would faced and probably the quickest. But Bivol kinda has average power already at 175 and Jai isn't a little CW fighting at 180-185, Jai is cutting to 200 he'd be the biggest puncher Bivol has faced. Also issue with this is that it couldn't happen till atleast 2027, unless Bivol fights three times a year. Jai is going to have sit and wait for Bivol to potentially move up which also isn't a given
1
u/Fast_Original_3001 20h ago
Pretty much all players who make decisions habe laid them out. Opetaia vs Bivol is gonna happen rather sooner than later
0
u/alarming_wrong 18h ago
why are we always saying Opetaia vs Bivol? Why not Opetaia vs Beterbiev ? Beterbiev is naturally bigger than Bivol and would be more fun to watch against Opetaia. I'm a Bivol fan too, but not sure Biv should move up a weight
1
u/Fast_Original_3001 18h ago
Brother. It has nothing to do with what we want. It is known for years that Turki wants to make that fight
2
43
u/Jachola 22h ago
Finally 😁