It’s the punch felt around the boxing world. Australia’s premier fighter, Jai Opetaia, delivered a devastating overhand left that floored German-born Turkish fighter Huseyin Cinkara, retaining his IBF and The Ring magazine cruiserweight world titles at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday night. The eighth-round blow, a late contender for knockout of the year, left the previously undefeated Cinkara motionless on the canvas for an extended period, raising serious concerns for the health of the 40-year-old, a rank outsider who lasted longer than most experts predicted.
Opetaia, despite his victory, expressed dissatisfaction with his performance, describing it as “scrappy” after being tagged in the second round with a series of blows that left him with a swollen right eye. However, the final punch of the night is the one that will be remembered. Already considered the most avoided world champion in the sport, the Queensland southpaw produced a punch for the ages, underscoring his status as, in the words of former Australian champion Danny Green, “the baddest cruiserweight on the planet.”
Opetaia’s Quest for Recognition
Ironically, Opetaia felt his performance leading up to that blow was so poor that the opponents who had sidestepped him to date—namely, WBO champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and WBC counterpart Badou Jack—may now accept his challenge. “Hopefully, that bad performance brings these guys out to take these fights,” Opetaia said. “I felt like I just fought like shit, to be honest. But you get these nights, we perform better, we go back to the drawing board, and we perfect it, you know what I mean? It was a lot of mistakes … but we got the win, and we move forward.”
Cinkara, once a 29-1 outsider, defied expectations by lasting as long as he did. He proved an awkward opponent and had his moments, particularly in round two, but there was no getting up after the sledgehammer blow he took in the eighth. “I came here for war, I was prepared,” Cinkara said after he had regained consciousness. “We both went to war, and we had a great fight, but there’s a reason why he’s the number one cruiserweight in the world. I’ve got no doubt that he’s gonna take all the belts.”
The Challenge of Unifying Titles
Unifying the cruiserweight titles remains a daunting task for Opetaia, as other belt holders have been reluctant to face him. Ramirez recently dodged him to take a lucrative fight against big-name light-heavyweight David Benavidez. “The fight that he wants is Zurdo Ramirez,” said Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis. “Now, Zurdo Ramirez has gone around saying he doesn’t even know who Jai is, which is a load of crap. Jai’s been calling this guy out; we’ve been calling this guy up for over a year now, so about the time he grabs the nuts and takes on Jai Opetaia.”
Many in boxing circles are aware of Opetaia’s status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, although he operates in relative obscurity in his native Australia. His handlers are hoping that will now change after his devastating knockout of Cinkara. “[Cinkara] was awkward, Jai made it tough for himself, but it just goes to show he’s the most feared fighter in the world,” Francis said. “Not just at cruiserweight, but [the most feared] fighter in the world. That’s exactly what we’ve come to see, and that’s what we got.”
Looking Ahead
The announcement comes as Opetaia continues to seek out opportunities to prove his mettle against the best in the division. His next steps will likely involve continued efforts to secure a unification bout, despite the reluctance of current titleholders. Meanwhile, his recent performance has only added to his growing legend, further cementing his place in the annals of boxing history.
As the boxing world watches, Opetaia’s journey is far from over. His determination to face the best and unify the division remains unwavering, promising more electrifying moments in the ring for fans and challengers alike.
