Jai Opetaia: record, next fight and profile →
Mairis Briedis (28-1, 20 KOS) defended his IBF and Ring Magazine World Cruiserweight Titles last night at the Arena Riga in Latvia with a spectacular third-round TKO win over German challenger Artur Mann (17-2, 9 KOS).
Australian / Samoan Cruiserweight Jai Opetaia (16-0) is set to step up for the toughest test in his 16-fight career to date as he prepares to do battle against Bilal Laggoune (24-1-2). Opetaia is the mandatory challenger for Laggoune's IBF Intercontinental title. This is the 3rd attempt to get the fight on after both boxers suffered injuries resulting in the fight being rescheduled twice.
EBU light heavyweight champ Dominic Boesel (28-1) defends the title against Italian Orial Kulaj (19-5) on April 13 in Halle an der Saale on a SES promotion. It´s a voluntary defence by Boesel, who have a very capable official challenger waiting in the shape of Igor Michalkin.
Pedro Diaz has warned Filip Hrgovi? (6-0, 5 KOs) not to underestimate his opponent Ytalo Perea (11-3-2, 7 KOs) ahead of their WBC International Heavyweight title clash on December 8 at the KC Dražen Petrovi? in Zagreb.
22-year-old Australian / Samoan Cruiserweight Jai Opetaia last night secured the IBF Pan Pacific title while defending his WBO Asia Pacific Title against Kurtis Pegoraro who he stopped in the 2nd round. Opetaia landed a perfectly timed devastating left rip to the body that ended the fight half way through the second round.
Convention and Exhibition Centre Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - In a WBO junior middleweight eliminator, Dennis Hogan (27-1-1, 7 KOs) won a twelve round unanimous decision over Jimmy Kelly (23-2, 9 KOs). The scores were 119-109, 117-113, 117-111. Neither boxer had tasted defeat since 2015 and both losses were in world title fights, but someone's streak had to end. Kelly was stopped in seven rounds by then WBO world champion Liam Smith, and Hogan had lost a twelve round decision to then WBA "regular" champion Jack Culcay.