As anticipated it was one other huge Sunday evening title defence for IBF cruiserweight world champion, Jai Opetaia. This, as Opetaia overpowered little-known Italian challenger Claudio Squeo and scored a fifth-round KO with one huge proper hand landed.
The bout was the primary occasion for Matchroom Boxing/Riyadh Season co-promoted card in Broadbeach, Australia, with Opetaia defending his model of the cruiserweight title for the fourth time in lower than a yr along with his KO win.
The 29-year-old improved to 28-0, 22 KOs, as he repeatedly scored with stable straight left fingers towards his significantly shorter and smaller opponent. The 34-year-old Squeo (beforehand 17-0) frankly regarded like a blown-up tremendous middleweight making an attempt to compete at cruiserweight because the taller greater Opetaia overpowered him with mixtures all through the struggle.
Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo IBF Cruiserweight Title Struggle
Jai Opetaia Scores One other Knockout Sunday Night time
The tip got here early within the fifth spherical when Opetaia caught Squeo on the left jaw with a proper hand. As soon as Squeo went down on one knee, he instantly started pointing to his jaw and his nook, as if he believed his jaw was damaged. The referee counted out Squeo at: 36 seconds of the fifth.
With the win Opetaia, who has been on a roll for the final three years, has set himself up for a possible unification cruiserweight title struggle with Mexican Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Ramirez owns the WBA/WBO variations of the cruiserweight championships and is scheduled to defend these on June twenty eighth towards Yuniel Dorticos, because the co-feature struggle for Jake Paul’s primary occasion with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Anaheim, California.
Again to Opetaia, he clearly is the person to beat within the division at this level together with his two wins over among the best cruiserweights of the final decade Maris Briedis. by determination in July 2022 after which, validated that win of their rematch in Could of final yr with one other 12 spherical determination victory. He now’s 6-0 in world title fights.
Very Energetic Jai Opetaia Continues
Sunday evening was the third consecutive title KO win for Opetaia relationship again to final October and it solely reinforces that Opetaia, for nevertheless lengthy he continues to stay at cruiserweight, can be a handful for any world-class opponent.
