Eddie Hearn says IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia could challenge Oleksandr Usyk for his world heavyweight titles in “12 to 18 months” with the help of “the money from” Turki Al-Shiekh.
Hearn revealed that the plan is to increase Opetaia’s “credibility” by having him become the undisputed cruiserweight champion before capturing the WBA, WBC and WBO belts from Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Badou Jack. Once Opetaia (27-0, 21 KOs) does that, he will move up to heavyweight to challenge Usyk for his belts if he is not retired or beaten by someone first.
Skip the line?
There’s something ominous about Opetaia making his first heavyweight fight without at least a fight against a title eliminator or one of the top contenders waiting to compete for a world title . When a fighter gets an outright title shot without even competing in the division first, boxing looks less like a real sport and more like popularity and money.
The way Opetaia looked on Wednesday night, knocking out David Nyika (10-1, 9 KOs) in the fourth round at the Gold Coast Convention Center, Broadbeach, in Queensland, Australia, it’s hard to imagine that he defeated the heavyweight contenders heavyweights like Martin Bakole. .
18 month plan
“Jai has to win all the cruiserweight belts to become undisputed, and then we want to push him into a fight against Oleksandr Usyk in the heavyweight division to try to become undisputed as well,” said Eddie Hearn to DAZNThey talk about wanting Jai Opetaia to win all the cruiserweight titles and then move up to heavyweight to do the same up there.
“I believe that he is the only person in cruiserweight or heavyweight who can really give Oleksandr Usyk a real real fight, but to do that, we have to first take every belt in cruiserweight to give him the credibility and the money from His Excellence to perform in the ring to Oleksandr Usyk.
“Believe me, in 12 to 18 months, Jai Opetaia against Oleksandr Usyk is an all-time classic,” Hearn said.
Opetaia could be undone when he takes on WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion “Zurdo” Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs). It’s a big step up from those of Nyika and a faded Mairis Briedis. He could lose to Zurdo, which would ruin Hearn’s vision of him stepping up to challenge Usyk.
In Usyk’s case. He could retire soon or be beaten by IBF champion Daniel Dubois. Usyk won’t wait for Opetaia to collect all the cruiserweight belts before fighting again. He will remain active, and one of the obvious fights that could happen next is a rematch with Dubois.
Oleksandr was lucky not to be defeated in his fight on August 26, 2023. He was dropped by what appeared to be a legal body, but the referee ruled a low blow. Replays showed it was on the belt. Dubois is focusing on Usyk’s body in a rematch, knowing he is weak there.
