In July 2022, relatively unknown Australian fighter Jay Opetaia defeated cruiserweight legend Mairis Briedis. Regardless of his age (37 at the time), the Latvian was still considered the best fighter in the 200-pound division. This fight of the year contender showed the world that Opetaia has all the tools needed to be on top: physical abilities, courage and determination.
During 2023, he defeated two opponents who were both badly overmatched, Jordan Thompson and Ellis Zorro. These two easy victories drew even more attention from the boxing public outside of his home country. In May of this year, with another win over Briedis, Jay confirmed his status as IBF champion and the best cruiserweight in the world right now.
The fight with Jack Massey
Although this matchup is only one of the opening fights on the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev card, both fighters could benefit from it. Given the importance of the main fight, it will be a great opportunity for Opetaia to attract more casual fans, who are not yet familiar with his immense talents in the ring.
With his big frame, “One smack” Jack belongs to the heavyweights, something he has already confirmed with occasional appearances among the greats. At 6 feet 4 inches, he is taller than Opetaia and has a bigger arm. Boxing behind a fairly solid jab, Massey is very disciplined and patient, with more than solid technique. The victory against the very good Isaac Chamberlain is the best indicator of his abilities.
However, the physical attributes favor the Australian. Opetaia moves like a middleweight, has pretty good hand speed and a powerful punch. Boxing with short and precise combinations and is very dangerous on the counterattack. If the opponent is shaken, it can end the match quickly. The Ellis Zorro fight is the best example.
In addition, Opetaia has another quality of a great champion: he can stay calm even when taking a serious beating. In the fourth round of the first fight, Briedis broke his jaw, but Jay went eight more rounds and won. With only 25 matches, he looks like a veteran of the ring. All in all, Jay is the favorite against Massey. Although the British is expected to put up a good fight, this match will always be to the Australian fighter, most likely by unanimous decision, even a possible knockout in the next rounds.
The Cruiserweight landscape
Chris Billiam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe faced off for the second time in June this year. Billiam-Smith won a tough decision, but more importantly, none of them were on the level of Briedis, who was beaten twice by Opetaia. Jay’s athleticism would be crucial here as well, and then, of course, his technical skills and excellent amateur pedigree.
WBC champion Noel Mikaelian is another possible opponent, if he can defeat a tough Canadian Ryan Rozicki later this year. Most boxing experts expect Opetaia to unify all the belts in the next year or two, which opens up the possibility of moving up in weight and challenging the big boys, something any true boxing fan would love to see.
