Results
Mairis Briedis vs Jai Opetaia – Results and Fight Report
Mairis Briedis went to the Gold Coast Convention Center in Australia and found that a tardy start is high-priced, as Jai Opetaia became the fresh IBF cruiserweight champion with a bold points victory.
Briedis (28-2, KO20) became the consensus number one cruiserweight and a three-time world champion, after previously also holding the WBC and WBO titles. The Latvian won the IBF crown, along with the Muhammad Ali Trophy, in September 2020 with a majority nod against Yuniel Dorticos, and his only loss came via a hard-fought majority decision to Oleksandr Usyk in January 2018. Opetaia (22-0, KO17) passed his biggest test as IBF regional champion and failed to match his opponent’s elite level.
It was a steady opening round for both, with little action, but the champion was cut over the right eye. Opetaia was in good spirits and boxing well from range, landing an eye-catching combination in the second round, and the pair opened up in the third. Opetaia gained the upper hand in the exchanges, but it was Mairis Briedis who finished strongly, landing a couple of neat punches behind schedule in the round.
The fighter proved to be in inspired form, hurting Briedis in the fourth quarter with a volley of punches, and a massive uppercut badly damaged Mairis Briedis’ nose as he was battered, and further punishment was meted out in the fifth round.
OPETAIA BEATS BRIEDISE UP ‼️🥊 He overdid it and outboxed the cruiserweight king, showing off his great chin as Briedis came in tough in the closing rounds 👏🏼 This clip is from round 4, where Opetaia hurts Briedis with a attractive corkscrew uppercut 😮💨 #BridesOpetaia #Box pic.twitter.com/g3TdWP0Y4J
— No nonsense in boxing (@NNBoxing) July 2, 2022
Opetaia showed no signs of slowing down, but Briedis dug deep into a respectable seventh and eighth. Opetaia regained control in the ninth period when Briedis was forced to take more risks, but the champion uncorked a powerful right hand that rocked Opetaia in round ten and the home favourite did well to end the session. Jai Opetaia showed plenty of heart despite the pain of a suspected broken jaw and grimly held on for the final bell of this epic.
Two scores of 116-112 and a third of 115-113 confirmed that Jai Opetaia was the fresh world champion.
…and NEW! 🇦🇺 #BridesOpetaia #box pic.twitter.com/VTQkNNCXkz
— przemek garczarczyk (@garnekmedia) July 2, 2022
Conor Wallace (9-1, KO6) won the vacant IBF Pan Pacific featherlight heavyweight title and the WBA Oceana belt after winning a split decision over the world ranking Faris Chevalier (13-2, KO7). A 96-94 score for Chevalier was rightly overturned by two 98-92 verdicts for Wallace.
In a stormy case, Koen Mazoudier (10-2, KO4) became Ocean’s fresh WBA super welterweight title for the second time, winning by split decision Joel Camilleri (22-8-1, KO10)The two met last November, with Mazoudier winning an eight-round split decision and this time winning by scores of 99-92 and 98-92, while the third judge somehow scored it 96-95 in Camileri’s favor.
In the middleweight Isaac Hardman (13-1, KO11) flattened Beau Hartas (6-2, KO4) in the first round, winning a devastating knockout victory.
OH MY 😳! Issac Hardman scores a first-round KO in his comeback against Beau Hartas #BridesOpetaia subcard pic.twitter.com/bUX1adsvnH
— TstreeT Controversy (@Terel_Vann) July 2, 2022
Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist David Nyika (4-0, KO3) remained undefeated, winning in the second round in the cruiserweight division Louis Marsters (1-3, KO1).
Taylah Robertson (6-1, KO2) impressed, and Brisbane resident stopped Venezuela Yoselin Fernandez (11-3, KO5) in the tenth and final round of the super flyweight contest for the IBF Youth title.
In the featherweight Dana Coolwell (8-2, KO6) arrested Lorenz Ladrada (11-3-1, KO3) with a body shot in the fourth of eight rounds, and Miles Zelewski (11-2, KO9) arrested Shiva Mishra (8-6, KO5) in the sixth and final round.
Daniel Dubois has revealed that his goal is an undisputed title clash with the winner of this weekend’s rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
Dubois will defend his IBF heavyweight title against former world champion Joseph Parker on February 22 and arrived in Riyadh earlier this week to watch Saturday’s clash between Usyk and Fury.
After being written off by many recently, “Dynamite” has been in the form of his life lately, picking up three stoppage wins off the back of Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua.
It was said that the heavy-handed 27-year-old would immediately enter into a rematch with Joshua, but “AJ” and his team did not agree with this idea.
And keep talking talkSPORT today, Dubois stated that he has his eye on unifying the four belts with the winner of Saturday’s rematch if he manages to overtake Parker.
“I’m here in Saudi Arabia and I want a winner on Saturday night.
I want to fight for an undisputed result, that’s the game now and that’s the goal.
“100% [I would beat them]. This is my time now. I’ve had my ups and downs, but I’m a recent man.
“I am ready to seek and destroy!” 🔥
Daniel Dubois can’t wait to meet Joseph Parker on February 22 👀#DuboisParker pic.twitter.com/q1WP0YkrmQ
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) December 3, 2024
“I am ready to fight for the undisputed, win it and make history.
“I evolved and learned from my mistakes.
“The team did well and I’m firing on all cylinders now. Let’s go!”
Like Dubois, Parker is also in the best form of his career and comes into the match on the back of upset wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
The situation in the heavyweight division in 2025 depends on the outcome of the epic rematch on Saturday evening, in which three world titles will be up for grabs.
Usyk hurt and released Fury en route to a split decision victory when they first faced off in May, and many believe the ‘Gypsy King’ has everything to do if he wants to reverse the result.
“I am ready to seek and destroy!” 🔥
Daniel Dubois can’t wait to meet Joseph Parker on February 22 👀#DuboisParker pic.twitter.com/q1WP0YkrmQ
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) December 3, 2024
A third fight between the pair is contractually agreed if the Morecambe man wins, provided neither he nor ‘The Cat’ withdraws after the second battle at the Kingdom Arena.
Paulie Malignanggi believes that Tyson Fury is no longer the same fighter he once was, and he will not beat Oleksandr Usyk in Saturday’s rematch.
Fury decides to take revenge for his own loss of split decision to Usyk in May, when he meets the Ukrainian for the second time in Riyad.
Fury was given eight points after tripping over the ropes following a powerful attack from his rival, and Malignaggi feels his three fights with Deontay Wilder, in which he fell four times, are starting to catch up with him.
“I don’t know if Wilder and Fury are the same after these three fights,” the 41-year-old said talkSPORT Boxing.
“Wilder certainly didn’t look the same as Fury to me, his impact resistance was always one of the best.
“He got up from Deontay Wilder’s punches that would have made buildings collapse, and now Oleksandr Usyk, a former cruiserweight, turned him around and dropped him in the first fight.
“What are the lasting effects of the Wilder trilogy?
“Who is one of the most devastating boxers in history.”
The “Gypsy King” suffered the first defeat in his 36-fight professional career, but announced that he would end the 37-year-old’s career on Saturday.
Usyk remains undefeated in his 22-fight professional career, and in May he won the undisputed heavyweight title, the first man in the four-belt era to do so.
Former world champion Malignaggi believes that Usyk, who vacated the IBF belt after the first fight, will repeat the feat.
“I will choose Usyk,” he added.
“I don’t think Fury has it anymore.
“It’s no disrespect to Fury.
“I’ve always loved Fury, I’m just not sure if he can bring him back.”
Frank Warren today revealed that a third fight between the two teams is in the contract – provided Fury emerges victorious and neither retires – while the long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua could be an alternative option for the Manchester fighter.
Tyson Fury described both Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois as “very constrained” compared to him ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury, who saw Dubois defeat Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium in September, is preparing for a second fight with Usyk on December 21 in Riyad, seven months after his first professional defeat against split decision for the undisputed title of heavyweight champion.
The ‘Gypsy King’ insists he will box in a similar fashion when he faces the Ukrainian for the unified heavyweight titles, as well as facing his rival in midfield, something he believes both Joshua and Dubois were unable to do , when they stood against him.
– What can you expect from me? Fury said during his face-to-face meeting with Usyk TNT Sports.
“Basically the same thing I did before.
“Good boxing.
“It’s not normal for someone my height and weight to be able to box and move and slide, so why should I take that away from my game.
“People tell me: go up to Usyk, take him down and punch him, but if it was so effortless why didn’t Joshua do it, who is a massive, sturdy man?
“Why didn’t Dubois do it?
“These men are constrained compared to me, very constrained.”
The 37-year-old Usyk defeated “AJ” twice on points and stopped Dubois, and Fury became the fifth Briton to fall victim to him.
The Manchester athlete believes it cost him an impressive performance in his first outing and has vowed to remain focused when facing Usyk on Saturday in three weeks’ time.
“I belong to a boxer,” the 36-year-old added.
“Slip, slide, clip, hook.
“I’m going to do it, but with more focus.
“A little more focused on my job and I think that’s my path to victory.”
Merry Christmas from World Boxing News
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