Boxing
Jai Opetaia says boxing rewards more than skill
“The sport of dressing up and putting in what you say makes money, not skill,” Opetaia told Boxing King Media.
The comment was met with backlash as Opetaia became one of the clearest examples of boxing’s high-risk, low-reward problem.
Although he was stripped of his IBF cruiserweight title outside the ring, many fans still view Opetaia as the true leader of the division as he still holds The Ring’s cruiserweight championship and has never been defeated professionally. However, crucial names rarely mention him.
This became increasingly noticeable after David Benavidez moved up to the cruiserweight division and defeated Gilberto Ramirez in a title fight earlier this month. Despite the victory, Benavidez quickly turned the attention back to a possible future fight against Dmitry Bivol at airy heavyweight instead of talking about Opetai.
The timing was significant because realistically Bivol may not become available until 2027, depending on how his mandatory duties develop following Saturday’s save from Michael Eifert and a likely mandatory start from Callum Smith.
This potentially leaves Benavidez plenty of time for another large fight before Bivol becomes available. Despite this, Opetai’s name rarely comes up in discussions.
This fight is viewed by many as stylistically unsafe for Benavidez due to the way both fighters operate offensively. Benavidez usually positions himself directly in front of his opponents, performing constant combinations and applying pressure. Few fighters approach Opetaia this way due to his striking power, physical strength, and willingness to trade blows in close quarters.
Opetaia himself praised Benavidez in an interview and said that the attractiveness of the fight would come from the skill level, not the hostility created.
“I actually really respect Benavidez and the way he conducts himself,” Opetaia said.
“People want to see our skills.
“That’s what we leave it to. We leave the talks to the ring.”
The lack of earnest public interest in the fight only reinforced Opetai’s broader view that boxing often rewards position and advancement as much as proving who the best fighter actually is.
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