Boxing
Eddie Hearn reacts to Dana White signing Jai Opetaia: ‘That’s probably where the problem started’
Published
3 months agoon
Jai Opetaia recently became Dana White and Zuffa Boxing’s first addition to the championship. He was previously co-promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
Opetaia became IBF world champion for the first time in 2022. He was stripped of the belt in 2023 for refusing to face a mandatory challenger, but quickly regained the belt a year later. Since then, he has loudly called for unification fights, especially against WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez.
The fearsome cruiserweight king announced his move earlier this week ahead of Zuffa’s inaugural gala in Las Vegas. This is a statement signed by the newest boxing event in the city, but it caused some confusion among fans.
White has made clear in recent months that he has no intention of working with the sport’s four major sanctioning bodies and was expected to focus on the Ring magazine belt and the creation of the Zuffa title. However, revealing that he had signed a contract with the UFC boss, Opetaia said he was still looking for the remaining three recognized belts.
I’m talking to IFL TelevisionHearn revealed it partnership – joint promotion with Tasman Fighters – has started to decline over the last six months.
“We haven’t promoted Jai for over two years, since the Jordan Thompson fight. Everything we’ve done around Jai, we do with Mick Francis and Tasman Fighters. For the last three fights, all in Australia, we were not the organizers. For the first fight, Turki Alalshikh and I contributed a lot of money to sponsorship. For the second fight with the Italian, which we were not involved in at all. And for the third fight, which is probably where the problem arose, DAZN dropped him.
“They didn’t make an offer to air the fight. I feel like we didn’t do much during that period. More importantly, I wasn’t able to give Jai the fights that people wanted to see him fight. Which isn’t his fault, and it’s not really my fault, because Zurdo Ramirez wasn’t available or didn’t want to do the fight in my opinion.”
Hearn then admitted that the champion had to make the decision to benefit from his career after “treading water”, then praising the deal with the stipulation that it provided unification fights.
“I hope this deal gives him what he wants. I know there’s confusion about Zuffa not recognizing the belts, but Jai and Mick [Francis] they say this will lead us to uncontested fights. I think the message is everywhere, it doesn’t really matter. The problem will continue to be getting him those fights. You have the Benavidez-Zurdo game in May, so these guys won’t be available until November, December.
“So what is the plan for Jai? Probably, if the plan is true to his words, he will unify. There is only one other champion, so next he will fight the WBC champion, Mikaelian. Which I think is brilliant for him. As long as he does it and as long as it actually happens, I think it was the best move Jai and Mick could have made.”
News of Opetai’s first fight under the Zuffa Boxing banner is expected soon, and White has now said that in situations like this he will initially cooperate with the major sanctioning bodies.
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Boxing
Canelo Camp announces Resendiz-Munguia as the winner next
Published
2 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Eddy Reynoso may have said more than he intended when discussing Canelo Alvarez’s next move, as his comments pointed less to Christian Mbilli and more to the winner of next week’s Jaime Munguia-Armando Resendiz fight
Canelo is expected to return to Riyadh for the season in September after recovering from surgery on his left elbow. Reynoso told Ring magazine that the plan remains super middleweight and named several possible opponents, including Mbilli. However, the strongest language in the interview was the conversation about the May 2 fight between Munguia and Resendiz for the WBA title.
“This time it’s Munguia against Resendiz in a pan-Mexico fight on a pan-Mexico card,” Reynoso told Ring Magazine, discussing Cinco de Mayo weekend. “This is going to be an amazing fight and we are prepared to win. This fight is going to be so good that it will steal the show. They have the ingredients to distract from the main event.”
This was unique because Reynoso trains Munguia and has a direct stake in the outcome, but it also sounded like early preparation for what comes next. If Munguia wins, a rematch with Canelo will be an straightforward sell to the Mexican crowd and an straightforward one to build to. If Resendiz wins, he will arrive with the belt and fresh momentum.
After his recent victory over Lester Martinez, Reynoso mentioned Mbilli as a “massive challenge,” but the tone was different. This sounded like one option on the list as the Munguia-Resendiz fight gained full popularity.
Canelo’s team has also ruled out other routes. Reynoso said the David Benavidez fight is now over and suggested there is little chance of seeing it again. Staying at 168 pounds also reduces the likelihood of a rematch with Dmitry Bivol.
This leaves less room than it initially seemed. When camps start praising one fight with such a hard month ahead of time, it’s usually worth paying attention to.
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Last updated: 25/04/2026 at 13:22
Boxing
Victor Ortiz was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather, but names an opponent who was ‘much better’
Published
4 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Floyd Mayweather’s last knockout victory over a legal opponent came in 2011 against Victor Ortiz, but despite the stoppage loss, the fighter known as “Vicious” claims he once fought a much better opponent.
It was a highly controversial moment when Mayweather knocked out Ortiz for the WBC welterweight title more than a decade ago, and the fourth round of their fight turned out to be full of drama.
Ortiz threw combinations on the ropes against Mayweather, but then got reckless and led with his head, prompting the referee to deduct a point.
With Ortiz paying no attention to the resumption of the fight, Mayweather fired a tough shot that knocked down and then knocked out his opponent, proving the elderly adage to always protect yourself.
Mayweather is undoubtedly the biggest name Ortiz has ever adopted, but while the boxing legend can be considered one of the best of all time, Ortiz told TalkSport that Andre Berto was better.
“He (Mayweather) is not the best opponent I’ve faced. Without a doubt, not. The best opponent I’ve faced was Andre Berto; he was much better. Andre Berto is a top-shelf pound-for-pound king. He knocked me down, I knocked him down, he got up, he knocked me down again.”
“This man showed everything: quality, heart, skill. Whatever, he’s got it. Someone like Floyd has what? Counter, running? That same year, I bought him some sprint shots at a press conference. My brother also bought him a box of tampons.
“But Andre Berto is special. I have the utmost respect for him. He has power in both hands; he is the total package. Someone with Floyd can’t compete with that.”
Ortiz defeated Berto to win the WBC welterweight title in a fight before facing Mayweather, which would be the first defeat of Berto’s professional career.
Berto’s final record was 32 wins and 6 losses, and during their meeting in September 2015, he suffered a one-sided defeat to Mayweather himself.
Mayweather competed just once again after the Berto fight, when he knocked out MMA fighter Conor McGregor in August 2017, although he is scheduled to return to fight former opponent Manny Pacquiao in September provided that the current problems can be solved.
Many fans on social media suspect that Miller is once again chasing Joshua just to secure a huge payday, which he threw away when failed drug tests canceled their 2019 fight.
Joshua wants a tune-up before he finally meets Tyson Fury. The plan is to shake off the rust and keep his record pristine before this huge event happens. This gap in the schedule gives other heavyweights a chance to make their voices heard, and Miller takes advantage of the moment.
Miller is still a controversial name, but he knows how to cause offense. Beating Pero would aid him prove that he still belongs in this conversation.
“Your whooping cough will come sooner or later. You can run, but you can’t hide,” Jarrell Miller said on Matchroom.
From a business perspective, Joshua’s team is focused on the Tyson Fury event. Facing an aggressive, volume hitter like Miller in a comeback fight would be risky. If Joshua wins, critics may view it as defeating a challenger who has spent years outside the elite mix. If he loses, Fury’s payout and his position will take damage.
Miller has built much of his reputation on noise and confrontation, but he’s still trying to fight his way into the majors. A victory over Pero won’t put him in a fight with Joshua right away, but it will keep him in the wider discussion.
Joshua’s team may still choose the safer and more controlled option of a return, especially if negotiations with Fury progress behind the scenes. Risking that payday against a hazardous or inconvenient opponent wouldn’t make much sense.
Still, Miller continues to cling to the story whenever Joshua’s name resurfaces in the headlines. Heavyweight boxing has a long memory, and some unfinished fights remain useful long after the first fall.
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most vital fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
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