Australia's undefeated boxing champion, Jai Opetaia, has opened up about the persistent lack of recognition from the sport's major promoters, while also leaping to the defence of Samoan-Australian NRL star Payne Haas.
The Champion's Return and His Respect for the Challenge
Jai Opetaia, the holder of the IBF and The Ring cruiserweight titles, is set to make his return to the ring on December 6. He will face Hüseyin Cinkara in a mandatory defence of his crowns on the Gold Coast. Despite his perfect 28-0 professional record, Opetaia is not taking the 40-year-old Turkish challenger lightly. In an exclusive conversation with the Daily Mail, the Aussie fighter stated, "You don't get to that position on accident. There's obviously a lot of hard work, and he's done his job right to get there."
A Lifetime of Being Overlooked
Opetaia's achievements in the ring have recently been highlighted by boxing legend Danny Green, who claimed the champion doesn't get the status he deserves because he isn't managed by one of Australia's main promotional outfits. Opetaia has now revealed that this is a situation he has faced throughout his entire career.
"To be honest, I've been dealing with this stuff my whole life," Opetaia confessed. "I've always gone against the grain and done things different, and broken records, and never got the publicity." Rather than complaining, the boxer maintains a focused mindset, believing that success in the ring will eventually bring the recognition. "I don't sit here and pout. I've always said that all I gotta do is focus on the job, and the rest will fall into place, which now it seems like it is."
Defending Heritage and Payne Haas
The undefeated boxer, who is proud of his own Samoan heritage and comes from a family with a strong sporting pedigree including Socceroos legend Tim Cahill, also spoke out in support of Payne Haas. The NRL star was heavily criticised last month for switching his international allegiance from Australia to Samoa for the Pacific Championships tournament.
Opetaia was unequivocal in his defence of Haas. "No one has walked a day in his shoes," he said. "No one knows where he's from or the way he was raised. I feel like it's ridiculous people even f**king talk s**t about it." Opetaia's connection to his heritage was further demonstrated when he attended the Pacific Championships match between Samoa and Tonga last month.
Future Fights and Unifying the Division
While his lack of mainstream exposure doesn't bother him, Opetaia did confirm that he has been in contact with No Limit, the promoter which holds a monopoly over many of Australia's top fighters. However, he clarified that his loyalty remains with his long-time team, Tasman Fighters.
"I think we've had a few discussions, but I've been with Tasman Fighters for a long time," he explained. "It was never about leaving Tasman Fighters and going to No Limit. It was more seeing if we could all work together."
Looking further ahead, Opetaia laid down the gauntlet to influencer-turned-fighter Jake Paul, whose fight with Mike Tyson attracted 65 million viewers globally last November. "Obviously if he f**king offered me some money, 100 per cent. Who wouldn't bash Jake Paul for a couple mil?" he told Stan Sport.
For now, however, Opetaia's primary focus is on overcoming Hüseyin Cinkara on December 6 and taking another decisive step towards his ultimate goal of unifying all the belts in the cruiserweight division.
