Jai Opetaia opens up on alcohol related arrests and getting his life back on track
Jai Opetaia had the world at his feet and a belt around his waist but two alcohol-fuelled dramas threatened to bring it all crashing down, writes Peter Badel.
Boxing/MMA
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Jai Opetaia insists he does not have an alcohol problem and has vowed to stay out of trouble in the wake of two scandals that have marred his epic world-title victory.
Breaking his silence on his night of shame, Opetaia spoke of his embarrassment at being arrested for clashing with police, admitting it was the reality check he needed to avoid derailing his promising boxing career.
Opetaia produced one of the greatest feats in Australian sport in July when he overcame a broken jaw in two places to defeat Mairis Briedis and snatch the IBF cruiserweight world title in a Gold Coast bloodbath.
The heroic performance made Opetaia, now living on the Gold Coast, the nation’s only current male world champion.
But just six weeks after conquering the world, Opetaia was embroiled in two alcohol-fuelled dramas.
On August 14, he was locked up for abusing police officers after being denied entry to a Sydney nightclub.
Then, on September 19, he was charged with drink driving, recording a blood-alcohol reading of 0.123 — more than double the legal limit — after crashing into a bollard in Surfers Paradise.
The indiscretions have painted Opetaia as a man out of control, intoxicated on the hoopla of new-found fame and celebrity spawned by his world-title triumph, but the 27-year-old says he is sick of runs-in with the law.
“I have learnt my lesson,” said Opetaia, speaking for the first time about his off-field ordeal.
“I am pretty disappointed in myself.
“I was having too much fun during the time off celebrating after my world-title win and I‘ve paid the price for being stupid.
“To be honest, I was pretty embarrassed having my face plastered all over the papers for what I did.
“I regret the things I‘ve done and I won’t be letting it happen ever again.”
In the wake of his first incident, court documents revealed Opetaia labelled one police officer a “piece of s***” during their nightclub altercation, banged on his cell door and urinated in his dock.
Magistrate Daniel Covington lashed Australia‘s No. 1 boxer, labelling his conduct “absolutely disgraceful” and while no conviction was recorded, Opetaia was placed on a 24-month good-behaviour bond.
The magistrate also suggested Opetaia never drink alcohol again, but the classy southpaw is determined to be the type of role model expected of a champion Australian sportsman.
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“I definitely don‘t want to be in that situation ever again, I do respect police and being a world champion now, I need to be a role model and behave,” he said.
“I don‘t want to say I will never drink again because that’s unrealistic, but I am laying low now.
“I wasn‘t going out to cause trouble. I was drunk and got myself in a bad situation.
“I like to have a good time after my fights. I do have some breaks in between the partying, but I was being an idiot and it‘s important from here on that I learn from it and stay out of trouble.
“All this publicity and fame (from his world-title win) has come pretty quick. Before I used to go out and enjoy myself and no-one knew who I was, but now everywhere I go, more people are noticing me and treating me a bit differently.
“I have got to the top pretty quick and I have to adapt to the greater profile.
“I‘m taking responsibility for doing the wrong thing and right now I’m Australia’s only male world champion.
“I feel humbled by that and I‘m going to put my head down, work hard in boxing and hopefully be in a position to help people.”
Opetaia has made a successful recovery from his broken jaw and is eyeing his maiden world-title defence in Australia next March. He is on a mission to unify the cruiserweight division.
“I‘m not back to sparring yet, but I have full confidence in my jaw. It feels good,” he said.
“I‘m aiming to be back fighting in March and I want to stay the champ for a long time.
“I want to prove I‘m not just a world champ but one of the best fighters in the world. I don’t want bums. I want to make history and bring the best fights to Australia.
“It (beating Briedis) was a massive win, it put me on the world stage and now I want to build more momentum moving forward. I can‘t sit back and be complacent, I can’t wait to get even more publicity for my achievements in the boxing ring.
“I have no doubt that I can unify the division and it‘s a goal of mine to do it.”
HUNI PUSHES THROUGH BUSTED HAND IN BRAVEHEART DISPLAY
Australia’s heavyweight golden boy Justis Huni has delivered the most heroic performance of his career, overcoming a suspected broken hand to produce a gutsy defeat of Kiki Leutele.
In a blood-and-thunder affair, Huni showed the heart of a champion, fighting virtually one handed for the final three rounds as he staved off big-punching Leutele in a heavyweight firecracker at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.
Huni (7-0, 4KO) continued his march towards his quest for a world-title shot, claiming a unanimous points decision (99-91, 97-93, 98-92) in what was easily the biggest test of his professional career.
But the Brisbane-born pugilist was under siege, with Huni copping some punishing right shots and almost hitting the canvas in the second round as the 112kg Leutele unloaded fists of fury.
Huni suffered a busted right hand fighting Paul Gallen last year, a setback which ruled him out of the Olympics, and he suffered fresh damage to the same fist after a series of furious exchanges with Leutele.
After a six-week camp in America, Huni promised more knockout power and he adopted a more aggressive style, but he almost paid a price against an opponent who fearlessly kept walking forward.
This was Huni’s bravest performance. While he didn’t produce a knockout punch, he showed a chin of steel as the heavy-swinging Leutele desperately tried to land a winning blow.
In the end, the classy Huni fought through the pain barrier in a braveheart display.
“He came to fight and we knew that,” Huni said.
“He was well prepared and he tried to knock me out.
“Not only is he a very big puncher, but he can take a big punch as well.”
Of his hand, Huni said: “It felt the same as when I fought Gallen, but we will take care of it straight away and hopefully get back as soon as possible.
“He’s a very tough competitor and I’m glad I got the win.”
The first round was busy from the outset with both men refusing to take a backward step.
While Leutele landed some good shots and kept walking forward, Huni had the better of the opening three minutes with some savage body shots.
But Leutele is tough as nails and the Kiwi slugger produced a stunning riposte in the second round.
With Huni happy to trade on the inside, he appeared to be in control before Leutele produced a superb right in the final minute which almost dropped the Australian, who wobbled back to the corner.
Huni stabilised in the third, taking the round with some slick combinations, but his willingness to trade left him vulnerable to counter attacks from Leutele, who continued to tag the favourite with his thudding right hand.
There was a heartstopping moment when Huni briefly went down in the fourth, but it was ruled to be a slip.
Entering the fifth, Huni adopted a smarter and more strategic approach, fighting from range in a bid to avoid the power of Leutele, who showed immense toughness as he weathered some stinging shots.
At the end of the fifth, a tiring Huni sat on his stool and simply mouthed: “He’s tough”.
It suggested Huni was beginning to feel the pinch, but the 23-year-old underlined his own fortitude, absorbing some monster shots before raising the tempo with a machine-gun volley of body blows.
By the seventh, Leutele looked to be tiring and Huni stepped up the pace, taking the round with some sweetly-timed jabs, supplemented by a sharp right which wobbled the underdog in the final seconds.
Before the eighth round, Huni complained of a busted right hand to his corner as father and trainer Rocki warned his son to be wary of Leutele’s knockout power.
Entering the championship rounds, Leutele’s bruised left eye was virtually shut, while Huni was clearly protecting his damaged hand as he backed his movement and better speed to stay out of trouble.
The final round was furious, with Leutele searching for a decisive punch, but Huni jabbed his way home to remain undefeated.
Huni’s rival reveals depression, drugs hell
Kiwi brawler Kiki Leutele has fought some savage opponents in his short life.
Depression. Drugs. Severe anxiety. Suicidal thoughts.
Each time, Leutele has hit the canvas and risen again, so the thought of confronting Australian boxing’s heavyweight golden boy, Justis Huni, is not as frightening as it may seem.
The big-punching Leutele (8-1-2, 7KO) will embark on the biggest test of his career against the unbeaten Huni (6-0, 4KO) on Friday night at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena — sweet reward on a soul-searching road to redemption.
Just five years ago, Leutele was effectively down and out.
“Boxing has saved my life,” says Leutele, who hails from Napier on New Zealand’s north island.
“Rock bottom for me was wanting to give up on life.
“I was 23. I didn’t have a job. I went through depression and anxiety. I had it real bad. I still get anxiety now and then, but I’ve learned how to deal with it.
“I wouldn’t want to go outside. I would lock myself in a room and not see anyone, but that just made things worse.
“My anxiety was off the charts and I thought, ‘Bro you can’t keep doing this’, so I would go outside and go for a run.
“I was taking banned substances. I had basically given up. I had no job, no money, I was living with my brother, but I knew deep down I had to get up and do something with my life.
“I’ve tried to quit boxing so many times but each time I would always walk back in the door.
“I guess it’s what I’m meant to do and I’m glad I fought back, because if I didn’t choose to keep boxing, who knows where I would be?
“I certainly wouldn’t have this opportunity against Justis Huni.”
Leutele now has three kids and a partner and family has solidified his pugilistic purpose. The wild days of excess boozing and drug abuse are over.
“My kids keep me grounded now,” he said. “I train every day and my sole focus is boxing.”
For all his raw power, Leutele will need pure professionalism to have any hope of beating Huni, who will start raging favourite to stop the Kiwi and continue his rise to a planned world-title shot within 18 months.
The motivation is strong. The Leutele camp remain furious their initial fight, set for May, was delayed to allow Huni to fight Joe Goodall.
“We have been treated like s*** by these a***holes,” said Leutele’s trainer Isaac Peach.
“When Huni fought Goodall, that was our fight.
“We had a signed contract and if we had the money, legally we would have sued the bastards, but here‘s our chance.
“They have no morals, but karma is coming to bite them on the a*** and Kiki is here to knock Justis out.
“The reality is this fight isn’t going to be a judges’ fight.
“If Kiki doesn’t do damage early then Justis will run away with it because he is very slick and will outpoint him.
“We have 10 rounds to find one big punch.”
Huni, having returned from a camp in Los Angeles working on his punching power, warned Leutele he is ready to bang.
“If he wants to go toe to toe, I will be there,” he said.
“I am confident in my power and boxing ability to get this win.
“My training in LA was great and I can’t wait to try out the things I have been working on.
“I am going in to make a statement and so is he, so it will be a war.”
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