Boxing Apr 07, 2026

Jai Opetaia: Now Chris Billam-Smith doesn’t have a belt he wants to fight! I’ve never hand-picked a fight

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Jai Opetaia: Now Chris Billam-Smith doesn’t have a belt he wants to fight! I’ve never hand-picked a fight

Jai Opetaia won’t move up to heavyweight until he has cleaned up the cruiserweight division.

Already viewed as the world's leading 200lber, with his blend of experience, power and speed the Australian could be seen as viable contender to take on Oleksandr Usyk at heavyweight.

But first the IBF cruiser champion wants to win all the belts in his own weight class.

"Undisputed first. Once we become undisputed we can think about something else. But I'm chasing these belts like I've said for a long, long time," Opetaia told Your Site.

"I feel like sitting here talking about him [Usyk] like I'm trying to call him out just for clout is silly," Opetaia added. "I find it disrespectful.

"It's unrealistic. Both of our pathways are heading in different directions right now. I feel like it's silly to sit and try and disrespect one of the best fighters in the world right now."

On Sunday night in Las Vegas Opetaia fights American contender Brandon Glanton for the first ever Zuffa Boxing title.

"I feel like this is going to be a new chapter in boxing. This Zuffa belt is going to mean something and I'm going to be the first to hold the Zuffa belt. And if everything goes according to plan I'll be the first ever undisputed with the Zuffa," the Australian noted.

"It definitely does make it more exciting."

At the timing of writing, Opetaia was waiting for confirmation on whether his IBF championship would also be on the line in this next fight.

"I'm pretty sure we're going to be working together and I'm very excited for that," Opetaia said.

"We're ironing things out and I'm really hoping to find that middle ground and we can all work together. Because it's my dream to become undisputed and I can't do that unless the IBF see the dream and want to work with us too."

There are exciting options for Opetaia at cruiserweight, including unified WBA and WBO titlist Gilberto Ramirez and all-action Briton and former world champion Chris Billam-Smith.

Opetaia criticised Billam-Smith for taking a fight with Ramirez, which he lost, when he could have boxed the Australian in a unification.

"He thought it was going to be an easier fight. He wanted to collect a belt before he fought me. He thought it would be easier. But now look," Opetaia said.

"Don't you think it's crazy how I was trying to fight him for so long when he had the belt. Now he doesn't have a belt, now he wants to fight! We had the opportunity to have a unification fight, we were always talking about it. I was ready.

"If that fight comes, I'll be ready. I've never hand-picked a fight," the Australian added. "I legit just sit in the gym, train hard and they call up and say you're fighting him here and I say done."

His first task this year comes against Glanton in Las Vegas. Opetaia has a propensity for scoring spectacular knockouts. But his American opponent has never been stopped before.

"I've never really chased the stoppage. If it comes, it comes. We've just got to box smart and do our thing. I am strong, I do punch hard, but it's the punches when you don't really chase it, they do come to you," Opetaia said.

"I've just got to box smart and if the knockout comes, it comes but we're prepared for 12 hard rounds."

Tags:

boxing news

Share this article

Related Posts

Amanda Serrano to make unified featherweight title defence on May 30 bill topped by Stephanie Han vs Holly Holm rematch

Amanda Serrano to make unified featherweight title defence on May 30 bill topped by Stephanie Han vs Holly Holm rematch

Amanda Serrano will return to the ring on May 30 at the El Paso County Coliseum in Texas.She will defend her WBA and WBO titles against Germany's Chey...

Tyson Fury wants 'brutal knockout' against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to prove he is back to his best

Tyson Fury wants 'brutal knockout' against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to prove he is back to his best

Tyson Fury wants to finish Arslanbek Makhmudov with a "brutal knockout" to prove he is back to his best.After retiring for a year following his second...

Terri Harper on facing hate: 'Just be your authentic self. Don’t change who you are'

Terri Harper on facing hate: 'Just be your authentic self. Don’t change who you are'

Professional boxing can be a hostile environment for members of the LGBTQ+ community.But Terri Harper, a multi-weight world champion, looks to help wh...

Caroline Dubois to be Katie Taylor's 'last dancer partner'? | 'She’s the one that holds all the cards - it's up to her'

Caroline Dubois to be Katie Taylor's 'last dancer partner'? | 'She’s the one that holds all the cards - it's up to her'

Caroline Dubois wouldn't hesitate to box Katie Taylor in the Irish superstar’s retirement fight.But the newly unified WBC and WBO lightweight world ch...

Michael Conlan says 'goodbye to boxing' after shock split-decision defeat to Kevin Walsh in Belfast

Michael Conlan says 'goodbye to boxing' after shock split-decision defeat to Kevin Walsh in Belfast

Michael Conlan said "it's time to say goodbye" to boxing after suffering a shock defeat in his Belfast hometown when losing on a split decision to Kev...

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper feud ignites: 'As an athlete, as a fighter, as a person, I don’t rate you!'

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper feud ignites: 'As an athlete, as a fighter, as a person, I don’t rate you!'

“She hasn’t done anything.”Caroline Dubois left Terri Harper lost for words.The Londoner subjected the three-weight world champion to a cold salvo of...