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Jai Opetaia relishes being the face of Australian boxing revolution
Britain, the United States, Mexico, these are all countries who are known for producing exceptional boxing talent.
However, Australia is now forcing itself into the boxing conversation and becoming an epicentre for the sport with an impressive array of talent from Down Under beginning to flex their muscles.
The man at the forefront of this Australian boxing revolution is IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia who returns to action on Sunday, live on DAZN.
Opetaia will be defending his IBF and Ring Magazine titles against Italy’s Claudio Squeo at Broadbeach’s Gold Coast Convention Centre in a second successive outing in his homeland.
When it comes to notable Australian boxers in recent memory, former undisputed super lightweight champion Kostya Tszyu immediately springs to mind.
Then came an Australian boxing explosion which started with George Kambosos toppling Teofimo Lopez in 2021 to become a unified champion at lightweight in New York.
Since that memorable night in the Big Apple, Opetaia has gone on to become a two-time world champion at cruiserweight, while 2020 Olympian Skye Nicolson captured world honours at featherweight.
However, it’s not just the established names who are bringing the boxing spotlight to Australia, there are also prospects including the heavyweight Teremoana Jr who has produced viral knockouts in all six of his professional bouts so far.
Looking at this current crop of Australian talent and comparing it with the past, there is no argument that boxing in the country has reached a peak which is a notion Opetaia agreed with during an exclusive interview with DAZN News.
“I feel like it’s at a peak. We’ve got so many world class fighters showcasing their skills all over the world,” Opetaia said.
“I’m proud to be at the front of it, I’m proud to be up there representing Australia. We didn’t have pathways like this, we built this stuff with Aussies being on Riyadh Season events.
“We did the hard yards to get here. It’s all the fruits of the labour.”
Headlining events in his home country coupled with frequent appearances on Riyadh Season cards, there is no doubt Opetaia is the face of boxing in Australia.
With a hard-hitting highlight reel and a magnetic personality, there is a lot of hope being placed on to the shoulders of the 29-year-old, and while Opetaia is aware of the pressure he is under, it is something he embraces.
“I’ve always felt pressure. I’ve always fought for my family; pressure is a privilege.
“We use the pressure in a positive way, to drive us every day, it is what it is. It moulds us into being better.”
While this influx of Australian boxing talent is great to see, there is a question to be raised when it comes to why fighters from Down Under have been frequently overlooked.
Is it due to a lack of exposure? Or the fact that old media simply could not grant the spotlight compared to now with the immense power of the internet?
It is a question which Opetaia struggled to answer, but this worldwide coverage is something which gives him immense pride when representing his country of Australia on the world stage.
“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you,” Opetaia responded when asked why boxing in Australia has been overlooked in the past.
“I just know the era I’m in now we are competing with the best. It’s good to be here.
“In this present moment, I’m honoured to be on the stage flying the flags, being a world champion from Australia and the Polynesian culture.
“I’m not sure what it was like back in the day, but right now we’re on a good path.”
Opetaia will be hoping to continue his own good path on Sunday when he takes on Squeo with the hope that a win will set up several unification bouts in his quest to become the undisputed champion in the not too distant future.
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