Jai Opetaia is set to face David Nyika on the 8th of January, with Justis Huni and Teremoana Teremoana also on the card. Opetaia’s promoter Mick Francis has let slip some important details on Jai Opetaia next fight – including his opponent, and when the fight will take place.
Opetaia, now 26-0, comes off his second win over Mairis Breidis, and, more recently, a total breakdown of European champion, Jack Massey.
Opetaia was set to face his mandatory challenger, Huseyin Cinkara. After Cinkara withdrew as a result of injury, David Nyika stepped up to replace him as the opponent for Jai Opetaia next fight. David Nyika is now 10-0, and most recently claimed the IBF Inter-Continental and WBO Asia Pacific Cruiserweight titles. Nyika has won 9 of his 10 bouts by way of knockout.
The fight will pit Australia against New Zealand, and tops the bill on the Gold Coast card this Wednesday on DAZN.
If he can get through Nyika, it is very likely Jai Opetaia next fight will be a unification, according to his promoter Mick Francis.
Jai Opetaia Next Fight – Zurdo Ramirez
Should he win on Wednesday, Opetaia is likely to face Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez next. Ramirez defeated Arsen Goulamarian to claim the WBA title, and, on a Riyadh Season card, took Chris Billam-Smith’s WBO title by unanimous decision.
Jai Opetaia currently holds the IBF and Ring cruiserweight titles. The WBC title is held by Badou Jack.
Mick Francis, Opetaia’s promoter, said, ‘Last time we met with Turki Alalshikh, he said he wants that fight on the 3rd of May in Saudi Arabia […] I’ve heard Zurdo’s got a mandatory coming up; I don’t know whether it’s true or not .’
The fight would see the winner holding all but one of the cruiserweight titles, and would be one step closer to an undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Oleksandr Usyk has expressed an interest in dropping back down to cruiserweight, and may well challenge the winner of the fight.
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