Jai Opetaia defeats Jordan Thompson, calls out Chris Billam-Smith

Jai Opetaia has made a triumphant return to the ring, defending his IBF and Ring cruiserweight world titles with a vicious fourth round knockout of England’s Jordan Thompson.

Brendan Bradford

@1bbradfo

2 min read

October 1, 2023 - 8:44AM

Jai Opetaia dismantled Jordan Thompson. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images

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Jai Opetaia has made a triumphant return to the ring, defending his IBF and Ring cruiserweight world titles with a vicious fourth round knockout of England’s Jordan Thompson in London.

Nearly 15 months after fighting through a badly broken jaw to claim the title against Mairis Briedis, Opetaia made light of a 10cm height difference in Thompson’s favour to completely dismantle his overmatched opponent.

Injury and other outside influences prevented Opetaia from defending his belt for over a year, but the Central Coast southpaw barely broke a sweat as he battered Thompson into submission.

Forced to travel to England to defend his belt, Opetaia felt all week that the odds were being stacked against him.

“I feel like this fight was Jordan Thompson’s fight night,” he said. “They made it about him. It was nothing about me. They put me in this small ring, thinking they were going to cut me off.

“I’ve got good footwork and they tried to take that away from me with this little ring. But I’ve got the power too. They underestimated my power, and that’s what happens.”

Opetaia confirmed his spot as the best cruiserweight on the planet. Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA Images/Getty Images

Opetaia used his post-fight press conference to call out WBO world champion Chris Billam-Smith, who was ringside for the bout.

“I’ve been saying it, I came here to earn respect,” he said. “Chris Billam-Smith, I’d love to make that happen, I want that WBO around my waist.”

Opetaia’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, hinted that the fight could be made for Australia.

“He should be a hero in his own country,” Hearn said. “I hope people tuning in right now back home start to realise and put some respect on this guy’s name.

“You’ve got Tim Tszyu, who’s a great fighter, but this is a guy who’s done it, beaten champions.

“Our job now is to make sure he brings every belt to Australia. There’s massive fights to be made, stadium fights and he should be a national hero.”

Opetaia started beautifully, landing a nice long left hand, before crowding Thompson in the corner in the final 20 seconds of the opening round.

Thompson walked back to his corner bleeding from his nose and with a bewildered look on his face.

Big time flurry to end round 1ï¸âƒ£#OpetaiaThompson | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/pTS2vLpNwb
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 30, 2023

The 2012 Olympian went right back to work in the second, making a mockery of Thompson’s incredible size advantage.

Thompson hit the canvas 45 seconds into the third round, complaining he was hit on the back of the head.

Sensing blood in the water, Opetaia went for the finish, landing a series of left hands at will.

The fight could have been stopped later in the third, but Thompson somehow made it to the bell before his corner warned they’d stop the fight if he didn’t show something.

Bereft of ideas, unable to land anything and bleeding badly, Thompson lasted just seconds in the fourth round before Opetaia finished it.