'Once we do that': idling Opetaia's boxing promise

Perth Now

12 hours ago

An idling Jai Opetaia predicts an overdue date with another world champion will push him to greater heights as the Australian pound-for-pound king takes the unification quest into his own hands.
The IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion barely left first gear in his title defence on Sunday night, but still broke the jaw of Claudio Squeo to earn a clinical fifth-round stoppage.
Almost three years ago Opetaia had his own jaw broken twice in the same Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre venue by Mairis Briedis, but fought through the pain to upset the Latvian and claim his belts.
Opetaia is hunting all five belts in the division before a move up to bridgerweight or heavyweight.
He'll travel with manager Mick Francis to the United States and sit ringside when Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez defends his WBC and WBO titles against Yuniel Dorticos later this month.
An Opetaia-Ramirez, four-belt unification blockbuster could happen on the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez Las Vegas card in September or in Saudi Arabia a month later.
Manager Mick Francis has also petitioned the Queensland government to back a Suncorp Stadium super-fight, adamant his man can fill it eight years after Jeff Horn shocked Manny Pacquiao at the heaving Brisbane venue.
Badou Jack is the other cruiserweight world champion, currently holding the WBC strap.
"I'm not chasing Zurdo specifically; I'm chasing the belts and if he loses his belts in this fight, I'm chasing that guy," Opetaia said after moving to 28-0.
Kostya Tszyu became undisputed light-welterweight champion in 2001 while George Kambosos Jnr held four of five lightweight belts when he stunned Teofimo Lopez 20 years later.
"Undisputed is the top, there's no better. And once we do that ... there's another two categories to win world titles," Opetaia said of his grand plans.
"A three-division world champion sounds good to me. Maybe even a super-fight with (light heavyweight champion) Bivol. There's so many exciting fights to make.
"But everything is all talk, unless we keep winning."
Opetaia, barring a warring defeat of Briedis in last year's rematch, has done that mercilessly since first becoming world champion.
"Once I get another belt around my waist it's going to be a whole new chapter," he predicted.
"Squeo coming out here (and losing), is proving what I already know.
"Everyone's always bad-mouthing ... my opposition. Just because I beat them the way I beat them, I'm always getting it.
"When I get my hands on one (world champion) and put on that clinic, everyone is going to go, 'F***, this kid is good'."
Squeo gave away large height and weight advantages to Opetaia but, at 17-0 and boasting knockout power, remained a threat.
That was until Opetaia worked over the Italian's body in the fourth round and then connected with a sweet right hook when Squeo was boxed into a corner in the fifth round.
"I heard the punch break his jaw and was like, "F***, you poor bastard'," he said.
"I know how that feels, being here and getting your jaw broken."
Opetaia will sit ringside in California when two-division world champion Ramirez features on the Jake Paul undercard on June 28.
"When I see him I'll probably shake his hand, introduce myself," Opetaia said.
"I'm not here to talk shit ... I'm chasing greatness, which I think all world champions should be."