Jai Opetaia should be disappointed after a frustrating 2025 – here’s why

Saturday sees IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia return to the ring for this third fight and final fight of 2025.

Taking on mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara, it is a disappointing end to what was promised to be a big year for the Australian.

Opetaia has frequently delivered entertaining performances, his fourth-round knockout win over David Nyika at the start of the year turned into an unexpected war and had the boxing world excited for what was to come.

However, the dreams of unifying or even becoming undisputed have not materialised for the 30-year-old.

Failing to secure a showdown with WBA and WBO champion ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez

In the build-up to June’s meeting with Italy’s Claudio Squeo, there was one name on Opetaia’s mind when it came to the carrot being dangled in front of him if he was to win.

That name was Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez.

After beating Chris Billam-Smith last year to add the WBO cruiserweight title to his WBA belt, it felt like Ramirez and Opetaia were on a natural collision course.

While Opetaia would be keeping busy against Squeo on June 8, Ramirez was in action three weeks later with his WBA mandatory challenger Yuniel Dorticos.

As long as both men won, it appeared a Opetaia-Ramirez showdown would be next, and that was a feeling Opetaia echoed when he spoke to DAZN News in the build-up to the fight with Squeo.

“Wherever they want to put it on I’m happy to fight. I don’t care where it is, I just want him to take the fight,” Opetaia said.

“It’s a fight I’ve been chasing for a long time and as soon as negotiations start, then I’ll fight anywhere. Just give me my shot at the belts and become undisputed.”

Opetaia and Ramirez delivered on their respective ends of the bargains with wins over Squeo and Dorticos, with Ramirez even giving the following message to his Australia rival.

“Make sure you get my phone and call me. I want it.”

But with how everything has played out, that phone call never came.

Light heavyweight champion David Benavidez jumps the queue

The cruiserweight title picture then took another twist at Ring IV when WBC light heavyweight David Benavidez announced that he would be moving up in weight to face ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez on Cinco de Mayo weekend next year.

It’s an announcement which raised eyebrows and while Ramirez vs. Benavidez is an intriguing matchup, is it one everyone wants to see?

As he proved in a ferocious stoppage win over Anthony Yarde last month, Benavidez is a monster inside the ring and will pose problems for Ramirez, but if I was Opetaia, I would be frustrated and angry.

After doing all the right things, becoming a world champion, cementing his place as the world’s number one cruiserweight, surely Opetaia deserves to have his chance at glory and write his name into the history books as an undisputed champion at 200lbs.

Instead, he is having to wait. Taking on mandatory challengers who he will likely beat with ease and stalling what could be a memorable career.

Opetaia will treat the upcoming clash with Cinkara like it is the biggest night of his life, he has a champion’s mentality.

But whether it be a comfortable 12 rounds or an explosive knockout, Opetaia will see the past year as a frustrating one and hope he can finally get the unification fights he craves in 2026.

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