Australian boxing sensation Jai Opetaia set to lose his world title as he chases a life-changing pay day in Saudi Arabia
He is regarded as Australia’s No.1 pound-for-pound boxer and one of the most feared fighters in the world. But Jai Opetaia is set to be stripped of his world title in a crushing blow for the cruiserweight king.
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Australian boxing sensation Jai Opetaia is set to sensationally lose his world title following an explosive spat with IBF bosses over a proposed $680,000 pay day in Saudi Arabia.
This masthead can reveal Opetaia faces giving up his cruiserweight world strap — or being stripped altogether — after the International Boxing Federation rejected his upcoming fight against Ellis Zorro in the Middle East.
Opetaia held crisis talks with his management on Saturday to decide whether to withdraw from the Saudi Arabian super card to keep his world title — or relinquish the IBF belt to fight Zorro.
The prospect of Opetaia losing his IBF world title would be a crushing blow and send shockwaves through a division in which the Gold Coast-based destroyer is widely regarded as the cruiserweight king.
It is understood the unbeaten Opetaia (23-0, 18KO) stands to pocket US$450,000 ($683,000) by taking on Englishman Zorro (17-0, 7KO) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on December 23.
The eight-fight card shapes as one of the biggest events in boxing history.
Cashed-up Saudi sheiks have outlaid millions to secure heavyweight big guns Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois, while unbeaten light heavyweight superstar Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11KO) will also feature.
But the IBF are playing hardball with Opetaia.
They have ruled his next fight must be a mandatory title defence against Mairis Briedis, the Latvian legend Opetaia heroically defeated last year on the Gold Coast, overcoming a broken jaw in two places to become a world champion.
Now, Opetaia is considering walking away from the IBF world title he literally bled for.
“We’ve made it clear to Jai’s team that he cannot fight Ellis Zorro for the title,” an IBF spokesman said.
“We had already given Jai an exemption to fight Jordan Thompson in his last fight (in October), so he can’t get another exemption to fight Zorro, who does not have a world ranking.
“In our rules, it can’t be done. He can’t have back-to-back exemptions.
“If we break the rules for Jai, it opens the floodgates for everyone else.
“The IBF have notified Jai’s team that he cannot fight Zorro — we’ve said his next fight has to be a mandatory against Briedis.
“If Jai Opetaia goes ahead and fights Zorro, he will be stripped of his IBF world title.”
Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis said vacating the world title would be a “devastating” outcome for the 28-year-old, who is arguably Australia’s No.1 pound-for-pound boxer ahead of Tim Tszyu, Jason Moloney and Sam Goodman.
The Opetaia camp’s appeal on Friday, seeking clearance to face Zorro, was rejected by the IBF.
“Jai would be gutted to give up the belt,” Francis said.
“It’s massively disappointing. Jai has worked so hard to get to this point in his career. He is a world champion and he has earned it the hard way.
“The IBF won’t allow the Zorro fight, they have ordered a mandatory against Briedis, so that’s the situation we’re left in.
“Briedis is happy for Jai to have this fight, he has no issues, but the only people not happy are the IBF.
“It’s gut-wrenching to be in this position.”
It is understood Saudi sheiks are keen to sign Opetaia to a three-fight deal that would be worth in excess of $2 million and set him up for life.
Should Opetaia chase the big bucks and vacate, his proposed world-title re-match against Briedis — slated for February or March next year — would also collapse in the ultimate double whammy.
“This is life-changing money,” Francis said.
“The Saudi camp won’t take kindly to Jai pulling out and then there’s every chance they won’t want him ever again moving forward.
“We’re negotiating a three-fight deal with these guys and it’s hard to do a three-fight deal if he doesn’t take the first fight against Zorro.
“Jai has worked his butt off and now this is a chance to capitalise on the fruits of his hard work, but unfortunately he may have to give up the title.”
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Originally published as Australian boxing sensation Jai Opetaia set to lose his world title as he chases a life-changing pay day in Saudi Arabia
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