Age :
Height :
cm
Stance :
Region :
Country :
United Kingdom
Record : PRO DEBUT
30
4
0
27
UK heavyweight - not to be confused with Joshua Padual.
By Robert Hill
Australia’s Jai Opetaia could make a sensational move to heavyweight boxing, with a potential showdown against former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder reportedly being explored for the undercard of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s blockbuster clash in Cardiff. According to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, discussions are taking place about adding the fight to the December 11 event (December 12 AEDT). This has also been circulating on Zuffa socials.
The bout is yet to be confirmed, but it would give Opetaia a high-profile opponent for his potential heavyweight debut. And it would be a serious test.
Wilder remains one of boxing’s most feared punchers, with his devastating right hand responsible for many of his biggest victories. A clash with Opetaia would pit the American’s explosive power against the Australian’s speed, movement and sharp southpaw attack.
For Opetaia, it would be an opportunity to make an immediate statement on the world stage against one of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing. The proposed fight would add further intrigue to a card headlined by Fury and Joshua at Principality Stadium, with the event set to attract a global audience.
However, a move to heavyweight would come while Opetaia still has unfinished business in the cruiserweight division. The Australian has repeatedly stated that becoming undisputed cruiserweight champion remains his priority, despite ongoing difficulties securing the unification fights he has been chasing.
Opetaia stopped Noel Mikaelian in the ninth round in September, but the WBC title was not at stake after the sanctioning body stripped Mikaelian of the belt before the fight. That followed Opetaia losing his IBF title in connection with his March bout against Brandon Glanton.
“I’m chasing the belts,” Opetaia told The Ring last month. “I’ve been chasing these unification fights for so long.”
Meanwhile, another potential obstacle has emerged in Opetaia’s pursuit of undisputed status, with David Benavidez declaring he will target heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk if his planned showdown with the Australian fails to materialise. The two cruiserweight stars have been targeting a fight over Cinco de Mayo weekend next year, but Benavidez has made it clear he has another major opponent in mind.
“If we can’t get that fight on Cinco de Mayo with Jai Opetaia, then we’ll do Usyk,” Benavidez told Inside The Ring.
Benavidez will first face Michal Cieslak in December as he attempts to add the WBC cruiserweight title to his existing WBA and WBO belts. A victory would potentially put three major titles on the line for a showdown with Opetaia, giving the Australian an opportunity to take a significant step towards his long-held goal of becoming undisputed champion.
Whether Opetaia chooses to pursue that objective or entertain a blockbuster heavyweight clash with Wilder remains to be seen. Either way, the Australian could be approaching a defining period in his career.
Bacolod's Genesis Servania will fight China's rising star Aketelieti Yelejian for the WBO Asia Lightweight title this November.
The highly-anticipated match up will take place on the undercard of the IBF world title fight between Pedro Taduran and Zhu DianXing at Jeju Island, South Korea.
Aketelieti Yelejian, who suffered a narrow loss to the Prince Albert Pagara in June, rebounded with an impressive IBF Asia victory against Korean Jin Su Kim in Vietnam recently. He is a very rangy and deceptive boxer known for his relaxed combinations, and he's supremely confident in his ability to take down Servania and claim the title.
"I've studied Servania's style, and I know I have the skills to outmaneuver him," Yelejian said yesterday.
"I'm excited to represent China on the international stage once more, and bring home an impressive win against a top and proven boxer like Genesis."
Servania, a seasoned veteran with a 35-4 record, boasts a reputation for toughness that has come from battles at the top level. And has still possesses some of the best body shots in the sport of boxing.
This important title shot gives the filipino the opportunity to re-establish himself on the world scene once more, and it's best remembered that his only defeats have came against world-ranked champions like Oscar Valdez and Andres Cortes.
But the China team have already confidently stated that Yelejian's youth, speed, height, and reach may all prove too much for the Filipino boxer.
Their optimism also exudes for the world title bout, where surprisingly, they are quite dismissive of Pedro Taduran's hopes of beating star Zhu DianXing. They actually rate their boxer so highly, they have predicted that the champion has no chance of retaining the belt.
These claims set up an intriguing backdrop for two massive Philippines v China feature bouts.
Fight Details :
- Date: Saturday, November 23rd
- Location: Jeju Island, South Korea
- Title: WBO Asia Lightweight
- Contenders: Aketelieti Yelejian (China) vs. Genesis Servania (Philippines)
