Tyson Fury Australian fight news: Jai Opetaia, Justis Huni, Demsey McKean chase world champion
There are three frontline options chasing British boxing megastar for a blockbuster fight on Australian soil – but world champion Jai Opetaia is ready to take the first swing.
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Australia’s world champion Jai Opetaia has emerged as a contender to fight Tyson Fury as the British boxing megastar arrived in Brisbane on Tuesday to begin talks on a $20 million blockbuster bout at Suncorp Stadium.
Opetaia, Demsey McKean and Australia’s heavyweight golden boy Justis Huni are the three local frontline options for an Ashes heavyweight showdown with British legend Fury later this year.
As revealed by News Corp on Monday, the world’s No.1 heavyweight Fury is keen to fight Down Under and is exploring possible venues at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium for the biggest bout in Australian boxing history.
A Fury debut in Australia, slated for August, would be worth more than $20 million to the Queensland economy. Jeff Horn’s famous bout against Manny Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium in 2017 generated $16m.
Fury was in Melbourne on Wednesday night watching his good mate, Kiwi great Joseph Parker, score a first-round victory over Brisbane’s Faiga Opelu and the Gypsy King jetted into Brisbane on Tuesday for a tour of Suncorp.
One proposed domestic rival is Opetaia, who entered Australian sporting folklore last July when he overcame a broken jaw to win the IBF cruiserweight world title.
Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis confirmed the parties will begin talks on the 27-year-old stepping up to heavyweight for the biggest fight of his career.
“Jai is certainly keen to fight Tyson Fury, 100 per cent,” Francis said.
“To be honest, there’s only a handful of Australian guys who are capable of fighting Tyson and Jai is at the top of the queue.
“I don’t believe Demsey McKean is the best option for Tyson. He is not in the same league of fighter as Jai Opetaia or Justis Huni, who I also manage.
“Jai is the current IBF cruiserweight world champion and he is big enough to step up to heavyweight, while Justis is the best young heavyweight prospect in Australian boxing.
“Justis and Jai are both keen to fight Tyson, they would take him on in a heartbeat.”
Huni is another logical option, but there are concerns the Brisbane-born young gun is not quite ready for Fury. The 24-year-old has fought only seven professional fights for seven wins.
Opetaia is more seasoned, unbeaten from 22 fights with 17 knockouts.
Critically, unlike Huni and McKean, Opetaia holds a world title, which is attractive to the Fury camp, who want a credible opponent for a historic Australian fight that will be shown to hundreds of millions around the world.
“If the Australian government is going to spend the money it will take to bring Tyson Fury Down Under, they will want a boxing war and a spectacle that goes longer than three rounds,” Francis said.
“It’s a win-win for us.
“If Jai or Justis were to beat Tyson, they would be worldwide superstars overnight and if they lose, there is no shame in losing to the heavyweight king and their profile skyrockets.
“Demsey McKean keeps knocking back sparring opportunities with Jai and Justis, so why would he fight Tyson Fury?
“This fight would be beamed around the world.
“Tyson has to find a world-class opponent and Jai and Justis are Australia’s world-class fighters in the bigger divisions.”
UNHERALDED AUSSIE IN LINE FOR BLOCKBUSTER FURY FIGHT
By Peter Badel and Jamie Pandaram
Heavyweight king Tyson Fury is in talks with unbeaten Queenslander Demsey ‘Tower of Terror’ McKean to stage the biggest fight in Australian boxing history.
News Corp can reveal McKean – not Australia’s heavyweight rising star Justis Huni – has emerged as a possible opponent for Fury as the ‘Gypsy King’ explores the prospect of a blockbuster debut bout Down Under.
The Fury camp has held preliminary discussions with McKean, whose manager Angelo Di Carlo will ramp-up negotiations when he flies to Melbourne on Tuesday ahead of the Joseph Parker-Faiga Opelu fight at Margaret Court Arena.
Fury arrived in Australia on Sunday to support his good mate Parker and he is using the trip as a reconnaissance mission for a big-money fight at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium or Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
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Fury has been tight-lipped about his possible opponent but Di Carlo confirmed towering Ipswich southpaw McKean, who has 14 knockouts from 22 fights with no losses, is in the mix to face the 206cm British giant on home soil.
“Chats began some time ago for Demsey to fight Tyson Fury in Australia and I think Demsey is the best option for the Gypsy King,” Di Carlo said.
“We’re certainly keen to do the fight.
“We’ve had a good association with Matchroom (McKean’s promoters) and we have great respect for Eddie Hearn (Matchroom boss), but I’ll have more talks with Fury’s camp and see where that takes us.
“If Tyson Fury wants to fight in Australia, the logical option is to fight an Aussie fighter and talking to Fury’s people, they don’t want to fight a small heavyweight.
“Demsey and Justis are Australia’s best heavyweights, but Demsey is six foot six and being a southpaw, he would present a real test for Tyson.
“We’ve been given a possible date to fight Fury in August, so hopefully we can make it happen.”
One of the world’s most recognisable athletes, Fury is the undefeated WBC heavyweight champion of the world, with an outstanding record of 33-0-1 (24 KO).
Fury is in talks to make a mega-fight against Oleksandr Usyk later this year, likely in Saudi Arabia, in an event that could earn him a reported $160 million.
While the 34-year-old has previously hinted at retirement, Fury has ambitions to fight on every continent and a bout in Australia would be the first step towards leaving a worldwide legacy.
McKean, 32, is Australia’s best-ranked heavyweight at No.11 with the IBF – one spot ahead of Parker – and Di Carlo said the Tower of Terror would relish a showdown with Fury.
“Demsey has said let’s make this fight happen,” he said.
“For Demsey to get the chance to jump in the ring with Tyson Fury, it would be the biggest fight in Australian history and bigger than Jeff Horn-Manny Pacquiao.
“This would be a dream come true, all the greatest heavyweights are chasing Fury … Anthony Joshua, Usyk, Andy Ruiz, Deontay Wilder, they all would love a piece of Fury.
“Demsey is unbeaten and he is awkward enough to give any heavyweight problems.
“Being a southpaw makes him tricky to fight and he has the youth and hunger to be competitive against Fury.
“Tyson cannot underestimate Demsey because he has the size and power to pull off an upset.
“No doubt it would be a massive test for Demsey, it would be the hardest fight of his career.”
Fury, who made a guest appearance at the Parker-Opelu press conference on Monday, confirmed his interest in an Australian fight.
“I’m definitely keen, it may even be my next fight, over here,” he told News Corp.
“I just haven’t got an opponent yet, so we’re going to figure it out.
“Over the next few days we’re going to be travelling around to a few different states and looking at some potential venues for my next fight.
“Australians are always crazy boxing fans, so it would be great to get the Gypsy King Down Under.”
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