Boxing
Three possible opponents for Jai Opetaia after David Nyika knockout win
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IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia sent a statement to the rest of the division on Wednesday with an explosive fourth-round knockout against David Nyika live on DAZN.Â
Opetaia wasted no time against the late replacement, landing countless blows on his New Zealand rival whose resistance crumbled under the relentless pressure.Â
The Australian has countless options when it comes to who he could face next, and here DAZN News looks at three possible opponents for Opetaia's next outing.Â
Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez
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The WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion appears to be the next logical choice for Opetaia who is eager to unify all the belts and become undisputed.
Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez announced himself on the world stage in November when he made easy work of Chris Billam-Smith to add the WBO 200lb title to his CV, but a clash with Opetaia will be a big step up.Â
With Opetaia already calling out the Mexican, expect a fight to be made between the two at a fast pace with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh eager to make this contest a reality at some point in May.Â
Oleksandr Usyk
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The stars appear to be quickly aligning for a fight between Opetaia and unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, and it's a contest Eddie Hearn labelled as an 'all-time classic'.
With Usyk comfortably the world's best heavyweight, the Ukrainian has hinted at a possible move back to cruiserweight where he was once an undisputed champion.Â
If Usyk does decide to move back down, then there is only one man who can be the opposite corner, and that's Opetaia who has all the tools to cause all sorts of problems for the boxing legend.Â
Badou Jack
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Badou Jack along with "Zurdo" Ramirez also holds a world title in the form of the WBC cruiserweight belt.Â
Jack is someone who has faded into obscurity after winning the title against Ilunga Junior Makabu in February 2023, but if there is a chance to become a unified champion against Opetaia, it may be enough to convince the Swedish fighter to lace up the gloves once more.Â
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