Chris Billiam-Smith says IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is just not the subsequent Oleksandr Usyk like some followers had been saying. He says he by no means introduced into the hype in regards to the Aussie Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) and felt that he was “humanized” in his final struggle in opposition to 39-year-old Mairis Briedis.
It’s unclear who has been saying that Opetaia is the subsequent Usyk, as Australia’s opposition was extraordinarily poor till he fought an ageing Briedis. The opposition that Opetaia had been preventing had been lower-level guys like Elias Zorro, Mark Flanagan, and Jordan Thompson.
Usyk On One other Degree
Informal followers might have naively labeled Opetaia as the subsequent Usyk, however followers who know the game noticed him as a product of soppy matchmaking. He’d been preventing lackluster opposition his nine-year profession. Usyk is the gold customary for what a cruiserweight ought to be, and Opetaia falls far wanting that mark. He’s extra the copper selection.
There’s no comparability between Oleksandr Usyk’s expertise when he fought at cruiserweight and Opertaia’s. Usyk might do all of it, displaying unbelievable expertise and beating high quality opposition. In distinction, Opetaia has solely fought one good opponent throughout his complete profession, and that was an older model of Briedis.
The primary struggle between them made Opetaia look higher than he was as a result of Briedis was coming off an extended layoff. Within the second struggle final Could, Briedis uncovered Opetaia, placing him below nonstop stress, displaying that he doesn’t deal properly with absorbing punishment.
Opetaia appeared scared, coping with stress, getting his beak harm, and going through withering fireplace from Briedis. The struggle confirmed that Opetaia is just not lower out for fight warfare and prefers to remain on the skin, throwing potshots.
Of their rematch in Riyadh, Opetaia appeared like a much bigger model of Shakur Stevenson in opposition to Briedis, and it was an actual eye-opener.
Opetaia is defending his IBF cruiserweight title in opposition to not too long ago crushed Jack Massey (22-2, 12 KOs) on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol on October twelfth on the Kingdom Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That is one other instance of Opetaia preventing a lesser fighter as a substitute of one of many gifted cruiserweight. It’s shocking that His Excellency Turki Alalshikh didn’t insist on Opetaia preventing somebody gifted for him to be on the October twelfth occasion.
“He’s tremendous gifted, Opetaia. He does loads of issues very well. He’s bought fast fingers, good toes, good shot choice, and might punch,” stated Chris Billiam-Smith to Secondsout about IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
“I believe individuals which can be saying he’s like the subsequent Usyk, which I don’t agree with. I believe Usyk is a a lot, significantly better fighter than Opetaia,” Billiam-Smith stated. “I believe Briedis had an extended layoff earlier than the primary struggle [with Opetaia] and had an extended layoff for the second struggle, coming in direction of the tip of his profession, however confirmed glimpses of what you may do.”
Opetaia is only a one-dimensional, one-trick pony who throws potshots solely and doesn’t prefer to take laborious photographs in his fights. Once more, he’s solely fought one notable fighter throughout his complete profession, Briedis, and didn’t look good of their second contest.
By now, Opetaia ought to have already fought these cruiserweights:
– Chris Billiam-Smith
– Richard Riakporhe
– Lawrence Okolie
– Isaac Chamberlain
– Gilberto Ramirez
– Noel Mikaelyan
“I believe he humanized Opetaia by way of the hype. For me, I see fighters for what they’re. I believe Opetaia is a implausible fighter, however I by no means purchased into the hype that he was unbeatable,” stated Billiam-Smith.
It was apparent a years in the past that Opetaia was being matched in opposition to marginal opposition, and it was shocking that it’s solely now that he’s hitting 30 that his administration lastly stepped him up briefly in opposition to an excellent opponent for his conflict in opposition to Briedis. Nevertheless, they’re now returning him to the identical weak matchmaking by having him face Massey.
“He’s a implausible champion; Briedis was an excellent fighter however just a bit bit over the hill,” stated Billiam-Smith.” He knew that, and thst’s why he retired. He most likely didn’t fairly have the identical in him. He had loads of laborious fights. He had two Tremendous Collection back-to-back.
“Clearly, he misplaced to Usyk within the first one and received the second [against Yuniel Dorticos]. He’s had some robust fights in that point and boxed everybody through the years, and that’s going to take it out of you.
“I’ve been in his coaching camps, and I believe he overdid in coaching camps. He was having three spars every week, 15 rounds in some unspecified time in the future. You’re not getting the most effective rounds in these 15 rounds. He was simply getting by way of them,” stated Billiam-Smith about Briedis.
