Jai Opetaia wants to be a three-division world champion: ‘I would love to fight Oleksandr Usyk one day’
Jai Opetaia is the IBF cruiserweight world champion and widely regarded as the best fighter in the division.
On October 12, live on Sky Sports Box Office, he puts his title on the line against European champion Jack Massey, who earned this shot with a sterling victory over Isaac Chamberlain.
Opetaia’s ambitions also extend further. He wants to wins all four of the major belts at cruiserweight before progressing onwards.
“We want to be the undisputed cruiserweight champion,” Opetaia told Sky Sports. “We want to collect the belts and then we want to move up and collect more belts either the bridgerweight or the heavyweight.
“A three-division world champion sounds good.”
He insisted: “I am the best cruiserweight in the world.”
But added: “It’s easy to say that stuff. I’ve just got to keep proving it. I’ve got to prove it again on the 12th and prove it my next fight and keep collecting these belts.”
The Australian has been in the ring, albeit in sparring, with top heavyweights. Then WBC heavyweight titlist Tyson Fury used him ahead of his fight against Oleksandr Usyk
“You’re rubbing shoulders with greatness,” Opetaia said. “Being there you learn a lot and it’s just all positive. We just keep levelling up everywhere we go.
“I’ve mixed it up with a lot of big boys. I know I can mix it up there with them.”
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It did not take long for the rivalry between Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley to reignite at the press conference for the big October 12 show
Ukraine’s Usyk, who has gone undisputed at both cruiserweight and heavyweight and remains the unified WBO, WBA and WBC champion, is Opetaia’s ultimate target.
“I would love to fight Usyk one day. It’s a fight that I’ll definitely be chasing. I’ve been around Usyk for a long time. We were both at the same Olympic Games [in 2012]. I was only young,” he said.
“I’ve always been close. I’ve always been in the shadows. I feel like my opportunity’s getting closer and closer to being in there against him.
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Rulers of the light-heavyweight division Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol went head-to-head at the London press conference for their October 12 fight, live on Sky Sports Box Office
“The goal’s never changed. We’ve been doing the same thing ever since I was a little kid. Train, eat, sleep on repeat.
“It’s easy to say [stuff]. I’m trying to live it. I’m trying to train hard every day and just fight and prepare and do what I’ve got to do to prove it.”
Watch Opetaia-Massey on the blockbuster Wardley-Clarke II and Beterbiev-Bivol Sky Sports Box Office bill on Saturday October 12
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