Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said tonight that IBF cruiserweight champion Jay Obitaya “will pick up all the belts at cruiserweight” and then go on to fight Oleksandr Usyk at heavyweight to become the undisputed champion.
Obitaya (27-0, 21 KOs) crushed challenger David Nyika (10-1, 9 KOs), knocking him out in the fourth round tonight at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, in Queensland, Australia. Referee David Fields conceded it after Neka was crushed by a left hand from Obitaya. That was the second knockdown in the fourth round.
Hearn's master plan
“I think David Nica will be a world champion in the future, but not tonight. He's brought in the best fighter, not just in Australia, but one of the best fighters in the world in Jay Obitaya,” promoter Eddie Hearn said. Inside the ring After Obadiah's victory.
“This is a guy (Guy) who should get into the pound-for-pound rankings. Huge future ahead of us. Guy is humble enough not to bring up Oleksandr Usyk's name, but I'm not. That's my job,” Hearn continued.
“Jay is going to get all the cruiserweight belts to become undisputed, and then we want to push him into a fight against Oleksandr Usyk to try to become undisputed at heavyweight as well. I think he's the only one who can give Oleksandr Usyk a real fight, but to do that,” Hearn said. We have to capture every belt in the cruiserweight division first.”
There is still a lot of doubt as to whether Obitaya will go as far as fighting Usyk for his heavyweight titles. To get that far, Jay must beat WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zordo” Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs), and he may lose that fight. If he wins, he will still need to defeat WBC champion Badou Jacques, which won't be easy.
Next stop: unification
Beating Zurdo will require some changes in Opetaia's fighting style because this guy is smart, strong, and an excellent fighter. As we saw tonight, Jay can't resist licking the inside and it's very average. Ramirez's bread and butter is fighting on the inside, and his powerful punches are the best in the cruiserweight division. Above all, he is smart.
“I've been chasing these unification fights. I'm coming to get my belts,” Opetaia said tonight when asked if he would be interested in getting fights against Gilberto “Zordo” Ramirez in three to four months if His Excellency (Turki Al Sheikh) can get the next fights. “. His victory by knockout in the fourth round over David Nica.
