'These fights have to happen': Opetaia chasing undisputed status with Zuffa debut
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'These fights have to happen': Opetaia chasing undisputed status with Zuffa debut
"We're not here to be superstars and the most famous fighter. We don't like drama. We stay in our lane, you know. The media loves drama. We just love hard work and doing what we've got to do. It doesn't get as much traction as the drama, but it is what it is. We just want to be undisputed and then go and hang out with our families."
"In his 29 fights as a professional, Opetaia has scored 23 knockouts and won the other six bouts on points. He's defended a world title on seven occasions, was recently ranked third in Max Kellerman's best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet, and, if things go to plan, could soon be set to unify the cruiserweight division."
Jai Opetaia stands as Australia's premier boxer, holding IBF and Ring world championship titles in the cruiserweight division. With 29 professional fights yielding 23 knockouts and seven world title defenses, he ranks third in pound-for-pound boxing rankings. Despite his exceptional record and achievements, Opetaia receives minimal public recognition compared to fighters involved in drama and spectacle. Opetaia attributes this to media preference for sensationalism over technical excellence. His primary focus remains unifying the cruiserweight division, having pursued matchups with Gilberto Ramirez and Noel Mikaelian. He recently signed with Zuffa Boxing, Dana White and Turki Al-Sheikh's new promotional venture modeled after the UFC, making his debut in Las Vegas.
Read at ESPN.com
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