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It was a basic battle of younger unproven contender towards veteran world champion, and Saturday night time in Australia Jai Opetaia fulfilled a dream of turning into a world champion with a unanimous choice win over IBF cruiserweight champ Mairis Briedis.
The unbeaten Opetaia dominated the struggle from the start controlling issues along with his southpaw, proper jab and straight left arms behind them on his method to a transparent unanimous choice verdict 116 – 112 x 2 and 115- 113 on the third card. That despatched the crowd in the Gold Coast Convention Center in Broadbeach, Australia right into a frenzy.
Jai Opetaia WINS with a damaged jaw 🤯
MORE 👉 https://t.co/gohMtsxWRA pic.twitter.com/hbK7VlrP8w
— MAIN EVENT (@MainEventTV) July 2, 2022
The 27-year-old Opetaia was a virtual unknown outside of the Australian continent till Saturday night time. Though he had amassed 21 wins with 17 KOs going into his title shot, he clearly was stepping up not less than two ranges to struggle Briedis who was making the second protection of his IBF championship.
However, the 37-year-old was outclassed and outgunned early by the sooner Opetaia, who repeatedly scored the straight left hand and ultimately bloodied Briedis’ nostril within the third spherical. Opataya additionally staggered Briedis with proper higher reduce on the finish of spherical 4 that had him in some temporary bother earlier than the bell. And, at that time it appeared that an upset was actually brewing for Opetaia.
Opetaia was clearly in command by way of six rounds, however Briedis, whereas bleeding badly from the nostril spherical after spherical, lastly summoned his greatest spherical of the struggle to that time within the seventh. That’s when he scored two onerous overhand rights that rocked the challenger within the last 30 seconds.
However, to his credit score Opetaia survived, obtained again on his game-plan and was nonetheless in good condition by touchdown straight proper arms to the physique and with the jab to the injured nostril. Because the struggle entered the championship rounds, the place Opetaia had by no means been earlier than, Briedis lastly had his greatest spherical of the complete struggle within the tenth.
That’s when he wobbled Opetaia twice with onerous proper arms. The challenger well grappled him and was capable of survive however clearly was drained and maybe on the verge of being stopped regardless of showing to be forward within the scoring. Nonetheless the native of Sydney, who’s of Samoan descent, continued to battle within the eleventh and really, out-slugged Briedis with repeated straight lefts to win that spherical and mainly, safe the choice.
Nevertheless, there was extra drama within the nook earlier than the twelfth, because it was clear that Opetaia was affected by what gave the impression to be a fractured jaw. Nonetheless, he got here out for the ultimate body and held up towards Briedis’ weary onslaught to attempt to rating a desperation knockout.
Ultimately Opetaia gained convincingly to seize the IBF world championship with the struggle approaching the fifth anniversary of fellow countryman Jeff Horn’s gorgeous upset of Manny Pacquiao for the WBO world welterweight title. Horn was in attendance and on the PPV commentary Saturday night time in Broadbeach.
When the struggle was over Opetaia couldn’t give a post-fight interview within the ring, however his nook did verify that they believed Opetaia could have damaged the jaw as early because the second spherical of the struggle. And, they credited him for persevering with late, when it was clearly affecting him within the eleventh and the twelfth.
The loss is just the second for Briedis (now 28-2) who beforehand dropped a unified cruiserweight world title bout to eventual undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in January 2018 he had gained 5 fights in a row over the past 3 1/2 years.
To his credit score Briedis was keen to journey on a bigger payday to Australia to struggle Opetaia within the Gold Coast Seashore city of Broadbeach. However, on this night time it belonged to the Aussie who merely was more energizing and higher over the 12 rounds to seize the victory.
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