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Opetaia puts money where his mouth is for cruiserweight world title unification bout
Murray Wenzel, AAP • June 4th, 2025 3:00 pm
Jai Opetaia | Photo: AAP
Jai Opetaia is prepared to make a seven-figure sacrifice in his drawn-out quest for world boxing title unification.
The Australian cruiserweight sensation (27-0) will defend his IBF and The Ring belts on the Gold Coast this Sunday against unbeaten Italian Claudio Squeo (17-0).
They'll come face-to-face for the first time on Wednesday before headlining a stacked card that includes Conor Wallace, Ben Mahoney, Max McIntyre and Teremoana Teremoana.
The fight comes almost three years after an unfancied Opetaia defied two breaks in his jaw to beat champion Mairis Briedis and claim those titles.
He's fought five times since - the Briedis rematch last year his only genuine challenge - but is yet to land a shot at the other three belts in his division.
Badou Jack owns the WBC belt but it's WBO and WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez firmly in Opetaia's sights, the Mexican two-weight champion due for a mandatory defence later this month and insistent he will face the Australian next.
"I'll believe it when I see it," Opetaia told AAP.
"(Former WBO champion Chris) Billam-Smith said that same stuff before he lost to Ramirez.
"They all talk like that.
"So when they're f***ing ready, I'll be ready."
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Should both fighters win, an Opetaia-Ramirez, four-belt unification bout would sit nicely on the undercard to September's historic duel between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.
The purse on a blockbuster card would swell into the millions and traditionally be split between fighters who both hold two belts.
But Opetaia said he'd be willing to leave half of his cut on the table if that sways the Mexican great to sign the deal.
"If I have to, and they're being that hard to deal with," he said.
"It should be down the middle but if he wants to be a sook, bro, take more, then.
"I don't give a f***. I personally believe I'm the best and all I have to do is win, then the next fight I'll get paid.
"It's not the money I'm chasing, it's the belts."
A stumbling block presents in Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who will headline the Ramirez card on June 28 and has a long list of future targets that includes the Mexican, but not Opetaia.
"Why don't they ask him about me?," Opetaia said of the former Disney star.
"If he wants to get bashed, I'll bash him. He won't fight me. Why am I even talking about him?
"I am the best cruiserweight in the world and no one is until they beat me."
That will be the unranked Squeo's tall task in his first fight outside of Italy, the 34-year-old known as 'The Red Bull' arriving with a reputation as a knockout specialist.
"It is annoying and especially these fights like this; dangerous and it's all risk and not much reward," Opetaia said of the non-mandatory defence designed to keep him busy.
"It's just how it works. I have to stay on the ball and it's what makes the good great; the ones who stay switched on throughout these things."
