How well can Opetaia do at Heavyweight?

[Nash out]

Not good. He'd be top 30 at best. Nash out - His Majesty

[JeBron Lamez]

Opetaia's potential at HW is perfectly OK.

He's CW champ, tough as diamond nails & his mentality is legit warrior.

We may assume his power will disappear at HW but the truth is, it's just as likely to carry up. Haye & Holyfield hit pretty hard at HW, Usyk does too.

Btw... y'all do know that Muhammad Ali got his jaw broken by Norton a year BEFORE the Rumble, right?

[SouthpawRight]

he was hurt by a hook in a 1-2-3 in his most recent fight

Has had his jaw broken before

high likelihood of Buff Guy Jai getting knocked out at heavyweight where the skills and power is better than cruiserweight

[James Daley]

A standard procedure for a double mandible fracture involves reinforcing the jaw with metal plates, rods, and screws.

In the lead-up to his 2023 comeback bout against Jordan Thompson, Jai Opetaia confidently stated, “My jaw is stronger now than it’s ever been.”

Since battling through those brutal injuries in 2022, Opetaia has faced Briedis in a rematch and is now gearing up for his sixth fight, set for June.

[Dr Z]

A standard procedure for a double mandible fracture involves reinforcing the jaw with metal plates, rods, and screws.

In the lead-up to his 2023 comeback bout against Jordan Thompson, Jai Opetaia confidently stated, “My jaw is stronger now than it’s ever been.”

Since battling through those brutal injuries in 2022, Opetaia has faced Briedis in a rematch and is now gearing up for his sixth fight, set for June.

Broken jaws are never the same. At any rate, he is much better off at cruiser weight as long as he does not eat his way out of it.

[James Daley]

Broken jaws are never the same. At any rate, he is much better off at cruiser weight as long as he does not eat his way out of it.

The bone clearly healed well - otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned after just 14 months. Still, it’s more likely that Opetaia’s opponents end up with broken bones, which might explain why some of the other top fighters are yet to face him.

[Dr Z]

The bone clearly healed well - otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned after just 14 months. Still, it’s more likely that Opetaia’s opponents end up with broken bones, which might explain why some of the other top fighters are yet to face him.

Once you egg is cracked, it sledom is the same. It is how the game goes.

[James Daley]

Once you egg is cracked, it sledom is the same. It is how the game goes.

Of course. Learning to eat and talk again is done

[SouthpawRight]

Once you egg is cracked, it sledom is the same. It is how the game goes.

Bivol beats Jai

The embedded fight is a short and sweet match that showcases the capabilities and openings of Parker's Cousin Buff Guy Jai

He uses pendulum to control distance and has some good pullcounters

His favorite shot is the straight left downstairs. Once it's established he then mixes the left up into a straight to the head or an overhand left. Juggling these 3 shots confuses the opponent

At close quarters he loves his southpaw right hook and will shift stances off of a left to turn his right into an orthy overhand making him unpredictable.

Jai lacks a jab that lands. His jab is for setting up shots.

He's quite vulnerable to rights through the middle.

I believe Jai's lack of jab would cost him against Bivol the straight strikes specialist

Jai looks amazing the gap in athleticism between him and his opponents have been huge.

Bivol's jabbing, 1-2-3, and 1-2B-1-4 should see him to a decision win over Parker's Cousin Buff Guy Jai

[Dr Z]

Bivol beats Jai

I believe Jai's lack of jab would cost him against Bivol the straight strikes specialist

Jai looks amazing the gap in athleticism between him and his opponents have been huge

Yep, he is a grade B fighter fighting grade C opposition in a weak division. This is why he looks better to untrained boxing eye.