Joseph Parker’s huge call on Jai Opetaia

Kiwi former world champion Joseph Parker has weighed in on Jai Opetaia’s situation, while crediting a fight in Melbourne for his heavyweight rebirth.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 23: Jai Opetaia celebrates victory with the belt following the Cruiserweight fight between Jai Opetaia and Ellis Zoro during the Day of Reckoning: Fight Night at Kingdom Arena on December 23, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

New Zealand boxing icon Joseph Parker has backed Jai Opetaia’s bold move to relinquish the IBF cruiserweight title, and says the Aussie knockout artist can follow in the footsteps of Oleksandr Usyk by moving to the heavyweight ranks one day.

The former heavyweight world champion, who fights Zhilei Zhang in Saudi Arabia this weekend, says the sky’s the limit for Opetaia, who he says can become one of the sport’s greats.

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Boxing politics forced Opetaia to give up the IBF world title late last year, with the 28-year-old set to fight for it again against Mairis Breidis in May.

“The boxing business is crap sometimes,” Parker said bluntly.

“He’s the Ring Magazine champion and they stripped him of the IBF belt because they wanted him to fight someone else.

Jai Opetaia (R) knocked out Ellis Zorro in the first round in December, days after the Aussie was forced to vacate his world title. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

“If I was Jai, I would do the same thing. You’re in this sport to be the best and look after your family, and they were limiting what he could earn.

“I agree with Jai and what he’s done.”

Parker received a first-hand glimpse of Opetaia’s dedication when they spent fight week together in Riyadh in December, and said the Aussie could follow in the same footsteps of another former cruiserweight world champion.

“Once he dominates the cruiserweights and unifies all the belts, he can do something similar to Oleksandr Usyk and move up to the heavyweight division,” Parker said. “It’s all up to him.

“He works hard, trains hard and he means business. He knows what he wants.

Parker backs Opetaia to move up to heavyweight in the future. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

“It’s probably made him even more motivated, and he knows he can win (the IBF belt) again because he’s already won it before.”

In a stunning twist, Opetaia actually made his professional debut on one of Parker’s undercards in Invercargill in New Zealand nine years ago.

Since that night, Parker won and lost the heavyweight world title, and came close to becoming irrelevant after a knockout loss to rising star Joe Joyce in 2022.

He experienced a heavyweight rebirth last year though, culminating in a stunning decision win over Deontay Wilder in December in what he calls the biggest fight of his career.

And it all started in May with a trip to Australia and a thunderous first round knockout of Django Opelu in Melbourne.

“It all started with the Django fight in Melbourne,” he said. “I keep saying to the No Limit guys in Australia, the Rose brothers, I thank them because that’s where it all started.

“That’s when we kickstarted the second coming, down there in Melbourne.”

By December, Parker had signed on to fight one-punch knockout artist Wilder in a star-studded card that also featured Opetaia in Saudi Arabia.

Parker (R), put on the best performance of his career beating Deontay Wilder in December. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

It was a big moment for the Kiwi, and got even bigger when he found out that Wilder had already signed a contract to fight Anthony Joshua a few months later.

“It was a two fight deal, mega money and they both just needed to win and make it happen,” Parker said. “It was great to be able to spoil the party.

“Winning a world title was massive – it’s what every fighter dreams of – but the Wilder fight, with the eyes and the viewership and what it meant moving forward, that took number one spot for me.”

Parker (L) knocked out Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu in the first round in Melbourne last year, kickstarting a golden run for the Kiwi. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

He’s now back into another big money fight on another big stage against the formidable Chinese giant Zhang.

They fought once in the amateurs, with Zhang winning a points decision, but Parker says it’ll be different this time around.

“Zhang’s got power, good combinations and good movement for a big guy,” he said. “He does move quick, he closes the distance and closes the gap and he’s not shy to let his hands go.

“I’ve been picturing catching him. I picture boxing and moving, rocking him and stopping the fight.”

Originally published as Joseph Parker’s huge call on Jai Opetaia