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Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo live results, round-by-round updates, ring walks, start time for IBF cruiserweight world title fight
Jai Opetaia and Claudio Squeo face off for the IBF cruiserweight title at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia. () Uncrowned has Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo live results, round-by-round updates, highlights, ring walks and start time for the Opetaia vs. Squeo fight card on Sunday morning at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia. Opetaia defends his IBF cruiserweight title in the main event. Opetaia (27-0, 21 KOs) makes his second appearance of 2025 following a brutal stoppage win over David Nyika in January. Advertisement Claudio Squeo (17-0, 9 KOs) isn't the opponent Opetaia wanted to land at this stage of his career, but the champion will have to be mindful of slipping against a relatively unknown operator who is fighting outside of Italy for the first time in his eight-year career. Nicknamed "The Red Bull," Squeo's career has been inspired by Russell Crowe's movie "Cinderella Man" — and he'll be looking to write a blockbuster of his own on Australian soil. The IBF champion, Opetaia, has been eyeing unification fights at the 200-pound limit since winning the title in 2022, with Gilberto Ramirez and Badou Jack as the other recognized champions in the division. The co-main event features light heavyweight action between Conor Wallace (15-1, 11 KOs) and Dylan Colin (14-1, 4 KOs). Wallace, a southpaw fighting out of Queensland, Australia, is rarely in a dull contest, and will be looking to make a statement against the Frenchman in a bid to climb up to world level. Advertisement Elsewhere on the main card, we have super welterweight action between the unbeaten Ben Mahoney (15-0-1, 8 KOs) and Venezuela's Eddy Colmenares (9-2-1, 9 KOs) for the IBF's vacant Inter-Continental strap at 154 pounds — a fight that looks to be well matched on paper. Also, Tyler Blizzard (9-0, 4 KOs) and Rocky Ogden (7-2, 5 KOs) throw it down in the featherweight division, looking to grab the IBF's vacant Pan Pacific title. The Opetaia vs. Squeo prelims begin at 2:30 a.m. ET and can be watched on Uncrowned below. The main card begins at 5 a.m. ET on DAZN, with main-event ring walks expected around 7 a.m. ET. Advertisement Follow all of the action with Uncrowned's live results, highlights and play-by-play of the main card below. Main Card (5 a.m. ET, DAZN) IBF cruiserweight world title: Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo Light heavyweight: Conor Wallace vs. Dylan Colin Super welterweight: Ben Mahoney vs. Eddy Colmenares Featherweight: Tyler Blizzard vs Rocky Ogden Prelims (2:30 a.m. ET, Watch via Uncrowned) Welterweight: Danny Keating vs. Blake Minto Super middleweight: Max McIntyre vs. Ricaia Warren Women's featherweight: Mariah Turner vs. Leah Reuben Light heavyweight: Austin Aokuso vs. Ikenna Enyi Super middleweight: Xavier Fletcher vs. Alivereti Dodomo
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Conor Wallace is ready to ‘shoot for the stars' as he prepares for Dylan Colin fight
Conor Wallace will return to the ring this weekend to take on Dylan Colin as chief support to his stablemate Jai Opetaia vs Claudio Squeo in Australia. The Irish-born Aussie had a busy 2024, fighting three times. He outpointed Jerome Pampellone between two knockouts over Jack Gipp and Asemahle Wellem. Wallace has had a brief lay-off after having surgery on his hand but is happy for the time off and feels as though he will be back better than ever as he continues to rebuild from a loss to Leti Leti in 2021, which he avenged via knockout eighteen months later to get back on track. Wallace said: '[After a couple of hand surgeries] I've gone from strength to strength. Having that loss to Leti Leti - then rematching him and knocking him out is probably the best thing that could have happened. I got that loss out of the way, it made me hungrier. I wasn't an undefeated prospect anymore.' Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev trilogy fight - with many top-ranked fighters waiting for their opportunity. Wallace is ranked number two by the IBF and number seven by both the WBC and WBO. He said the state of the division is frustrating for the top fighters at the moment due to the uncertainty surrounding the belts. But he doesn't want to focus on that - instead relishing the opportunity to fight again and stay ready for any opportunities that may come. He said, 'It's frustrating, we have done all this good work to get to number two in the IBF.' He added: 'It is what it is, all that stuff is out of my control. My job is to stay focused, and I've got a great team around me, and I'm happy to be given the chance to stay active' Having only fought in Australia so far, Wallace has gone through all the top opposition domestically at 175 lbs and is ready to take the next step to fight internationally because he has nothing left to prove at the national level. Wallace said: 'I can't get any higher [ranked] than I am without fighting an international opponent. I've taken the risk many times in Australia with Jack Gipp and even fought the South African guy [Asemahle Wellem]. I've got everything to lose and nothing to gain in those fights.' He continued: 'We are happy to go wherever for the big fights, we have done all the hard work to get into the position I am now, so the main thing is to beat whoever they put in front of me, and no matter where that is, we will go.' The Aussie said he will fight anyone to achieve his world title dream sooner rather than later, and is not overlooking Colin, but represents the next step on his journey to the top of the light-heavyweight division. Wallace said: 'My goal is to win a world title, and I'll fight whoever for that.' He added on his future: 'There is only so long you can wait. Hopefully, everything goes to plan. I'm not overlooking this opponent, but hopefully we can get through him, and hopefully we can get a big fight towards the end of the year. You've got to shoot for the stars.'
