Ryan Rozicki Certain He’d KO Jai Opetaia: “Don’t Believe Your Hype”

Once-beaten cruiserweight contender Ryan Rozicki of Canada, nicknamed “The Bruiser,” is certain he would lay out current Ring Magazine and IBF 200-pound ruler Jai Opetaia if given the chance. Rozicki, beaten only by Oscar Rivas in a bridgerweight contest back in October of 2021, watched Opetaia’s recent fight with Huseyin Cinkara, who wobbled Opetaia in the second-round of a lively encounter.

Opetai said after the fight that he was unhappy with his performance but that the fact that he got hit the way he did might entice fighters who have thus far been far from keen to fight him to now do so. Rozicki may or may not have fancied his chances against Opetaia before the Cinkara fight, but he sure wants a shot at the Australian warrior now.

Does Rozicki’s Power Change the Opetaia Equation?

As he said when speaking with The Ring, 30 year old Rozicki, 20-1-1(19) and coming off a draw with Yamil Peralta in a fight that contested the interim WBC cruiserweight title a year ago, believes his power punching would be too much for Opetaia.

“From what I’ve seen, I think he’s probably the best in the division,” Rozicki said of the unbeaten Opetaia. “If that fight happens to come my way, 100 percent I’ll take it. He has not fought anyone near me, I’ve seen some of his fights and he’s fighting lower [level] opposition. In my opinion, his opponent (Cinkara) didn’t look world class. He got hit and wobbled in the second round. I believe if that was my right hand that hit him, he would not have [taken it], would not have got up. Don’t believe your own hype. Be very careful what these guys [in your team] say about you because you probably think you’re the boogeyman but you’re probably not.”

Will Opetaia Stay at Cruiserweight or Move Up?

Opetaia, 29-0(23) has made it clear he wants the unification fights, these against Badou Jack and Gilberto Ramirez. If he cannot get these fights, Opetaia has said, he may make the move up to heavyweight. Could a fight with Rozicki entice Opetaia to stick around at 200-pounds even if he cannot get it on with either Jack (who faces Norair Mikaeljan in a rematch this weekend) or “Zurdo” (who will face David Benavidez in May)?

Rozicki has not been active, with him having had that year out, and one could be excused for thinking that he would present Opetai with a risk/no reward kind of a fight. Let’s see what Opetai opts to do as far as his next move. Did the Cinkara fight “expose” Opetai as a fighter who might not be as great as some of us initially felt, or did Jai simply have an off-night last Saturday?