Best buds: how Opetaia and Crawford hit it off
The two-way respect earned in an evening with Terence 'Bud' Crawford could pay off in the form of a Las Vegas stadium unification blockbuster for Jai Opetaia.
Australian cruiserweight Opetaia (27-0) defends his IBF and The Ring belts on the Gold Coast on Sunday against Italian knockout artist Claudio Squeo (17-0).
If successful he'll then accelerate his push for more belts, a quest dating back almost three years since his upset win against Mairis Briedis despite breaking his jaw in two places.
Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez will defend his WBA and WBO belts later this month and is Opetaia's target, potentially on the undercard to Crawford's super-fight against Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on September 25.
Crawford, who took Jeff Horn's welterweight title in 2018, will aim to become a five-weight world champion and the first undisputed three-weight champion.
Opetaia has never fought in the United States but has earnt a reputation in the UK and has Saudi billionaire and boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh in his corner after a series of pulverising knockout wins in both countries.
Manager Mick Francis plans to head to the United States after Sunday's fight to pursue a deal, buoyed after a meeting with future Hall of Famer Crawford on the Gold Coast last week.
"After dealing with him, he's a real one of the sport and he realised I was too," Opetaia told AAP of his time with Crawford on the American's promotional tour.
"He knows who I am, for the right reasons."
Crawford, among the world's top pound-for-pound talents, defied the poverty, crime and violence associated with his Omaha upbringing and now operates a not-for-profit gym there.
NSW-born Opetaia has enjoyed recent visits to conduct junior clinics in Samoa, a heritage he celebrates heavily on fight nights.
"There's a lot of similarities in how he thinks, it was refreshing to hear his take," Opetaia said.
"I've looked up to him, now we're both up there, rubbing shoulders on the same stage.
"I'm telling you. Canelo-Crawford, with me and Zurdo on the undercard ... 100 per cent.
"We can't get comfortable, though."
That's because a shock loss to the unfancied but dangerous Squeo would up-end all those plans.
But Opetaia, who qualified for the Olympics as a 16-year-old and fought at the London 2012 Games at 17, has never got ahead of himself.
A fourth generation boxer on his dad's side and third generation on his mum's, Opetaia can't remember a time he wasn't near a ring.
"It wasn't a specific moment; I grew up in it, it was life," he said.
"Training, boxing, sparring and punching on.
"When I was a little boy I'd go for runs before school then the gym straight after.
"There was no homework for me. My homework was training.
"That's what's pushing me for the unification fights so much.
"I'm always pushing up, my whole life just wanting to win, win."
The Convention Centre card also features Brisbane-based Irish light heavyweight world title prospect Conor Wallace, rejuvenated super welterweight Ben Mahoney, and entertaining Paris Olympic heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana.
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