Jai Opetaia (26-0, 20 KOs), Australia’s pound-for-pound number one boxer, will look to defend his world title on home soil when he takes on Germany’s Huseyin Cinkara (22-0, 18 KOs) on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, January 8.
As reported by Sporting News and confirmed by organisers on Thursday, Opetaia will put his IBF and The Ring cruiserweight titles on the line when he faces off with the undefeated puncher, ranked number one with the IBF.
Opetaia hasn’t fought on home soil since defeating Mairis Briedis to win world championship gold back in July 2022.
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The bout will also mark a return to the venue, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, in which Opetaia beat the Latvian, fighting through a badly broken jaw in what is widely regarded as one of Australian sport’s toughest performances.
Since then, the standout southpaw has claimed four more wins, one in London and three in Riyadh, including another hard-fought victory over Briedis in their rematch back in May.
That run has seen the 29-year-old emerge as the biggest name in the 200-pound division, with fans calling for unification bouts.
Before Opetaia can target the other champions in the weight class, he’s been ordered to face Cinkara, the mandatory challenger with the IBF.
Undefeated through 22 bouts, with 18 wins coming by knockout, Cinkara packs a punch and, at 39, will be out to spring an upset in what could be his one and only shot at world title gold.
Cinkara last fought in April, knocking out the 18-3 Armend Xhoxhaj inside two rounds in Nurnberg, Germany.
A January fight means quick backup for Opetaia, who brutalised Jack Massey on the way to a round six stoppage last month on the undercard to Artur Beterbiev’s win over Dmitry Bivol.
With a combined 38 KOs between the pair, an Opetaia-Cinkara showdown promises fireworks for as long as it lasts.
Should the Gold Coast resident get by Cinkara, he’ll no doubt be lining up the rest of belts at cruiserweight.
Arsen Goulamirian currently holds the WBC title at 200-pounds, while Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez last weekend unified the WBO and WBA straps when he defeated Englishman Chris Billam-Smith via an entertaining unanimous decision.
The Mexican has already confirmed his interest in facing Opetaia in a fight which would pit two highly skilled and hard-hitting lefties against each other.
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