Latest news with #cruiserweight
RNZ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Boxing: David Nyika to fight journeyman after brutal knockdown
Australian Jai Opetaia knocks down opponent David Nyika of New Zealand during the Ring Magazine and IBF World Cruiserweight title fight in Gold Coast, 2025. Photo: AAP / New Zealand boxer David Nyika is set to step back in the ring for his first fight since his brutal loss to Jai Opetaia. The Olympic bronze medallist and two-time Commonwealth Games champion will take on Kiwi journeyman Nik Charalampous in Sydney next month. The fight is part of the undercard to the Sonny Bill Williams-Paul Gallen fight on 16 July . Nyika, 29, was knocked out by Australian Opetaia in the fourth round of their IBF world cruiserweight title fight in January. It was his first defeat in his brief professional career. "I'm ready," said Nyika. "My journey restarts here. "Fair play to Jai, he was the better fighter on the night. But true champions get back up again when they get knocked down - and I have no doubt I am going to be world champion." Veteran boxer Charalampous has a 23-6-2 record. "I think Nyika is an overrated pretty boy," Charalampous said. "One of us went 10 rounds with Jai Opetaia, the other got stopped. I'm ready to go hard!"
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Australia's best boxer reveals what would happen if he got in the ring with influencer turned 'fighter' Jake Paul
Aussie cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia has revealed exactly what he'd do to Jake Paul if the two ever met in the ring, ahead of his title defence on the Gold Coast this weekend. Opetaia, 29, will take on Italy's Claudio Squeo on Sunday where the undefeated Aussie will look to make his third straight defence of his IBF title. If Opetaia is successful he will likely be matched up against Mexican southpaw Gilbert Ramirez, who holds the WBO and WBA straps. However, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has also revealed his quest to be Cruiserweight champion and has spoken about fighting Ramirez. Opetaia says Paul's chances against himself would be astronomically small. 'It's why I don't even like talking about Jake Paul,' Opetaia told News Corp. 'That guy, he isn't world class. 'C'mon, now. 'I would bash the s*** out of Jake Paul, literally.' Opetaia, who boasts a 27-0 record and is Australia's best pound-for-pound boxer, would not say no if the The Problem Child wanted to fight him. 'But if Jake Paul wants to fight me, bring it on,' he said. 'I'll absolutely bash him on the way to becoming undisputed. 'But we know he's smarter than that. 'These guys, they're about business. 'They don't want to be the best fighter in the world, they want to be the most famous. 'And there's a real big difference in the two.' Opetia's fight against Ramirez is a top priority for the Aussie pug, but he understands if the Mexican wants to chase a big payday against Paul. 'I feel like I'm the cruiserweight that generates the most money with [Ramirez], the biggest payday fight, but it's a risk for him,' he told The Ring. 'I honestly believe if he wants to call himself the best cruiserweight in the world, he's got to beat me first, and until he does that he's not. 'I don't know what he wants to do or what he's trying to do ... he's chasing coin, you can't knock him if he wants to fight Jake Paul for a huge lump sum of money, who'd turn that down? I'd bash Jake Paul for a [expletive] couple mil, too. So it is what it is. 'I'm chasing unification fights. I just believe I am the best in the division and I believe if I just keep winning, the money's going to come anyway, so I just need the fights to happen.'
ABC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Jai Opetaia to defend IBF, Ring cruiserweight world titles against Claudio Squeo
When Jai Opetaia goes to work next week he will be carrying on the family business he joined at the age of eight. A fourth generation boxer on his dad's side and third generation on his mum's, the IBF and Ring magazine cruiserweight champion grew up in the boxing ring — literally. His father Tapu is still his coach. "I didn't have a choice really," Opetaia said. "It was just something that was passed down to me." He won his first amateur fight as an eight-year-old and has not looked back. At 16 he made the national team for the London Games, becoming the youngest Olympic boxer in Australia's history. He credits that experience — a teenager fighting against grown men at heavyweight — for developing his technique, skill and fight IQ. "They were 10 times stronger than me," Opetaia said. "They would have thrown me around like a rag doll but I had greater boxing ability." Opetaia captured the world title in 2022, fighting nine of 12 rounds with a badly-broken jaw to beat Mairis Briedis in a bloody war. Since then he has defended his belts five times, winning four of those contests by brutal knockout. The 29-year-old boasts an undefeated 27-0 record and is now regarded as one of the most devastating power punchers in the sport. But despite his fearsome reputation among boxing fans and his status as Australia's best pound-for-pound boxer he is far from a household name. That is because in the brash world of professional boxing Opetaia flies under the radar, preferring to let his performances in the ring do the talking. "I'm not trying to be anyone I'm not," Opetaia said. Next Sunday he defends his title against little-known challenger Claudio Squeo at Broadbeach, a few minutes down the road from the Surfers Paradise gym where he trains. While also undefeated, Squeo enters as a 26-1 underdog having never fought outside of his native Italy. Still, the June 8 fight is a risky proposition. An upset loss could jeopardise a blockbuster unification bout with Mexican Gilberto Ramirez who holds the WBA and WBO belts, slated for the under card of the Canelo Alvarez vs Terrence Crawford super fight in September. For Opetaia it is the opportunity of a lifetime and a chance to cement his place as one of the biggest names in the sport. "For someone from our neck of the woods, an Australian, a Pacific Islander, to be on one of those cards fighting for a world title — that's the definition of hard work," he said. "For young Australian fighters to see people like me up there fighting on the biggest cards in the world, it's special." But he knows there is no guarantee. It is a fight Opetaia has been chasing for more than a year, one he says Ramirez has repeatedly turned down. "He wants to get paid, I want more belts. If you're the best I feel like the money will come, all you have got to do is keep winning. "No-one else is the best in the cruiserweight division until they beat me."
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Commonwealth cruiser champion Aloys Junior takes aim at Viddal Riley
Newly crowned Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Aloys Junior has set his sights on the British title. Following his victory over David Jamieson at the weekend, Junior is shifting his aim towards a showdown with Viddal Riley. Speaking recently, Junior said that he was targeting the Tottenham man for a bout. Junior, 10-1 (9), made his comments to an interviewer from Queensberry Promotions for the firm's YouTube channel. Junior said: 'I want all the smoke. Whoever wants it can get it. If Vidal wants me, I'm here, baby. If Vidal Riley wants me, I am here, baby. If Vidal Riley wants me, I'm here.' He added: 'He will try to run away from me but I will ******* cut that ring off. He ain't going nowhere. I'll make sure of it.' Junior's fight against Jamieson, now 13-4 (10), ended after a knockdown in the third round that followed Jamieson going to the floor also in rounds one and two. Junior said that he wanted 'the world' and that his victory over Jamieson was just 'one step'. The only loss so far on Junior's record was a close one on points in his debut against the Pole Michal Soczynski at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. Soczynski, 10-0 (7), has so far remained undefeated and last fought also at the weekend at home in Kalisz, Poland when he stopped Cristian Norges Lopez Lopez in three rounds. Junior, meanwhile, has been on a ten-fight winning streak since, with his only fight going the distance being a points decision over the unbeaten Oronzo Birardi, also at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. A fight against Riley might make sense at this point in both his and Junior's careers. BoxRec lists Riley, 13-0 (7), as the second-best cruiserweight in Europe, with Junior at #4. Globally, the pair are respectively ranked at #20 and #27. Riley last fought in April when he won a twelve-round decision over Cheavon Clarke on the undercard of the fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn. Not included in any of the public callouts is Jack Massey, 22-3 (12), ranked #25 in the world and #3 in the UK. Massey last fought in October against Jai Opetaia in Riyadh, losing by stoppage in the sixth round. Also missing from the proclamations is Chris Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13) and the former WBO champion, who also fought on the undercard between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, winning a spirited twelve-round decision. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jack, Yigit, Krajnc: Sweden's greatest boxers as former champion eyes further glory
Badou Jack edged a majority decision to retain his WBC cruiserweight crown against Norair Mikaeljan this month and further write his name into Swedish boxing history. The Scandinavian country might not be the first nation that comes to mind when thinking of boxing powerhouses, in part due to a three-decade-plus ban on the sport professionally. Despite being in force between 1970 and 2006, plenty of names have managed to shine on the world stage over the years, with Jack just the latest at the summit. Here are some of the other great Swedish fighters of all time who have left their mark on the sport. Ingemar Johansson Johansson competed from 1952 to 1963 as a professional with a record of 26-2. He captured the world heavyweight title in 1959 knocking down Floyd Patterson seven times in the third round before the fight was called to an end. Another notable win in his career was against the great Henry Cooper who famously dropped Muhammad Ali. Johansson knocked Cooper out to defend his European title in 1957. This victory also earned Johansson the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, and the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year. As an amateur, Johansson also competed in the 1952 summer Olympics, taking home a silver medal before turning over to the professional game the same year. Yigit was an extremely talented boxer, touted for success in the professional ranks after competing in the 2012 Olympics. He put together a string of victories before defeating Lenny Daws for the vacant EBU European super lightweight title in 2017. The World Boxing Super Series was next for Yigit, who challenged for the vacant IBF super lightweight title in the quarter finals. He would come up short against Ivan Baranchyk with the fight being stopped in the seventh round. Yigit remained active until last year when he announced his retirement from boxing with a record of 29-4. Armand Krajnc Krajnc, known as 'The Lion', competed professionally from 1996 to 2004, with a record of 29-3, winning 21 of his bouts by knockout. In 1999, 'The Lion' captured the WBO middleweight title by defeating Jason Matthews via technical knockout. He defended his title three times before his reign came to an end in 2002, losing a unanimous decision to Harry Simon. After moving up to the super-middleweight division, Krajnc faced Sven Ottke in 2004 for the unified WBA (Super) and IBF titles – but was unsuccessful and retired immediately after the fight. Maria Lindberg Lindberg is an accomplished boxer, claiming the Swedish Amateur title before debuting as a professional in 2003. Claiming her first world title in 2009, Lindberg would go on to claim the WIBF and WIBA super welterweight titles. She fought for the WBF and WBO middle weight titles in 2014, losing out to Christina Hammer. In April 2021, she stepped in as a late replacement to challenge Savannah Marshall for the WBO middleweight title but was defeated by a third-round knockout. Later that year, in November, she contended for the vacant WBA and IBO super welterweight titles against Hannah Rankin but lost by unanimous decision. Frida Wallberg Nicknamed 'Golden Girl', Wallberg competed from 2004 to 2013, collating a record of 11-1 professionally. Before turning pro, she won the 2001 Women's World Amateur Championship. She would carry this momentum into her professional career, remaining undefeated and winning the WBC super featherweight world title in 2010. Wallberg would also defeat Amanda Serrano in 2012 to defend her world title. This is Serrano's only defeat that was not at the hands of Katie Taylor. Wallberg's career was cut short by a brain injury in a knockout loss to Diana Prazak in her achievements would not go unrecognised as she was inducted into the Women's Boxing Hall of Fame this year. Erik Skoglund Erik Skoglund made is professional debut in 2010 and went undefeated in his first 25 fights collecting the EBU European Union, IBF Inter-Continental and IBO International Light heavyweight belts. After dropping down to super middleweight to join the World Boxing Super Series in 2017, Skoglund would face Callum Smith who admitted that the Swede was the best boxer he had been scheduled against. Smith won a close-but-unanimous decision. Skoglund's career ended after a traumatic brain injury he suffered in sparring shortly after his fight with Smith, forcing him into early retirement. Badou Jack Badou Jack, born October 31, 1983, in Stockholm, is a professional boxer and former world champion in three weight classes. He won the WBC super middleweight title in 2015 by defeating Anthony Dirrell and later held the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight title and the WBC cruiserweight title. Jack has fought elite opponents including James DeGale, Adonis Stevenson, and Jean Pascal. Now 41, Jack picked up another title defence this month, and will hope he can move towards a potential unification bout in an increasingly crowded cruiserweight division. DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. It is not just about fight night, a DAZN membership also includes access to documentaries and features, weekly magazine shows, live fight watchalongs, press conferences, weight-ins, open workouts, exclusive interviews and access to training camps, and podcasts and vodcasts.
