Opetaia and Usyk: Cruiserweight champion meets heavyweight king - ORSOLTECH

Jay Obitaya confirmed on Saturday that he plans to quickly become the undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2025 and then move up to heavyweight to challenge Oleksandr Usyk for his belts if he still holds them by then.

Size difference

Usyk and Gay met during the Ring Awards on Saturday. When they stood side by side, Usyk looked much larger than the 6'2″ Opetaia. If this fight goes ahead, Obitaya will not have the natural size advantage he has come to rely on at cruiserweight.

Furthermore, his one-armed fighting style could lead to him being taught and embarrassed by Usyk. Jay uses a Bivol-esque hybrid style that he clearly learned from watching the former WBA light heavyweight champion. Usyk has seen this style frequently during his years on the amateur circuit in Ukraine, and he will easily overcome it.

If Usyk loses his titles Daniel Dubois In the rematch, it will put Opetaia in a position where he will need to make a decision on whether to go after the belts against the massive power puncher. It would be a bad look on Opetaia's part to fight Usyk anyway.

This would make him look like a coward. Gay will be slim against Dubois if that fight happens. Even if Obitaya gets big, he'll be very small next to Dubois in the ring. I don't see a positive outcome for the Australian. He's not another Evander Holyfield. He doesn't have that kind of talent.

Opetaia's promoter, Eddie Hearn, will need to prepare the unification fights he needs to become this year's cruiserweight champion against WBC champion Badou Jack and WBA and WBO belt holder Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez so he can achieve his goal this year. .

IBF cruiserweight champion Opetaia (27-0, 21 KOs) knocked out challenger David Nyika (10-1, 9 KOs) in the fourth round on January 8 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, in Queensland, Australia.

Cruiser weighed first

“I'm glad it went this way. The fans got what they wanted. It was good to come home, and have that kind of energy,” Jay Opetaia told t.Alec Sport Boxingdiscusses his recent win over David Nica on January 8 in Australia.

“No, I'm good to go again. I'm chasing these unification fights,” Obitaya said, responding to being told his face showed no marks less than a week into his four-round war with powerhouse puncher Nika.

“It felt a little good. “After the first round, I had this image in my head of one of those Hagler-Hearns type fights,” Obitaya said of taking some big hits from the 6'6″ Nika in the contest. “It was good To be a part of it. I'm just happy to have a good show and a good fight.

“Absolutely, man. That's the goal,” Obitaya said of his desire to become undisputed at cruiserweight and then move up to heavyweight to challenge Oleksandr Usyk for his world titles.