Can Jai Opetaia Rule At Heavyweight? Hearn Says The Cruiserweight Champ May Make The Move Soon “If He Doesn’t Get Unification Fights”
In the opinion of most fight fans, Jai Opetaia is the best cruiserweight in the world right now. The reigning Ring Magazine and IBF champ at 200 pounds, Opetaia is both mean and skilled in the ring, and he wants more than just about anything a chance to unify all the major belts at his current weight. And for sure, we fans want to see Opetaia rumble with his biggest threat at cruiserweight, this WBA and WBO champ Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.
However, Ramirez is currently injured, his shoulder needing to heal, and Opetaia is getting frustrated. Added to these frustrations is the fact that the Australian warrior was recently ordered to make a mandatory defence against Huseyin Cinkara, the 40 year old being the #1 ranked cruiser with the IBF. No disrespect to Cinkara, 23-0(19), but this is not a fight that really excites Opetaia, nor does it get us fans pumped up.
Eddie Hearn Reveals Heavyweight Plan if Ramirez Fight Falls Through
Eddie Hearn, who co-promotes Opetaia has now said that unless he gets a unification fight soon after the Cinkara fight (likely for the end of the year), Opetaia will think very seriously about making the move up to the heavyweight division.
“I think we’ll fight Cinkara around November, December time,” Hearn said when speaking with The Punch Podcast. “If we don’t get a unification after that, then it might be time to step up to heavyweight. It might be a little earlier than anticipated, but you can’t just wait around forever.”
Can Opetaia Join the Holyfield, Haye, and Usyk Club?
As Hearn says, it would be a real shame if Opetaia, 28-0(22) didn’t get a chance to unify the cruiserweight division, and again, we all want to see that Opetaia-Ramirez clash. But if, or when, Opetaia does move up, can he join the exclusive club, where as of today only Evander Holyfield, David Haye and Oleksandr Usyk are members? Just these three men have been able to win world titles at cruiserweight and then do so at heavyweight. It’s a tough task, but maybe Opetaia is up to it.
At 6’2,” Opetaia is shorter than Usyk but he could be tall enough – and good enough – to emulate fellow southpaw Usyk and go on to dominate at heavyweight. Maybe. It’s impossible to be able to say for sure, as good as Opetaia has looked at 200 pounds.
Let’s see if 30 year old Opetaia waits around for Ramirez to heal up and fight him, or if he does indeed jump up to heavyweight early next year.
