Chris Billiam-Smith says IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is just not the following 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 following Usyk, as Australia’s opposition was extraordinarily poor till he fought an growing old Briedis. The opposition that Opetaia had been combating had been lower-level guys like Elias Zorro, Mark Flanagan, and Jordan Thompson.
Usyk On One other Stage
Informal followers might have naively labeled Opetaia as the following Usyk, however followers who know the game noticed him as a product of soppy matchmaking. He’d been combating lackluster opposition his nine-year profession. Usyk is the gold normal 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 may do all of it, exhibiting unimaginable abilities and beating high quality opposition. In distinction, Opetaia has solely fought one good opponent throughout his whole 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 a protracted layoff. Within the second struggle final Could, Briedis uncovered Opetaia, placing him underneath nonstop strain, exhibiting that he doesn’t deal effectively with absorbing punishment.
Opetaia regarded scared, coping with strain, getting his beak harm, and dealing with withering hearth from Briedis. The struggle confirmed that Opetaia is just not reduce out for fight warfare and prefers to remain on the skin, throwing potshots.
Of their rematch in Riyadh, Opetaia regarded like an even 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 overwhelmed 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 combating a lesser fighter as a substitute of one of many proficient cruiserweight. It’s shocking that His Excellency Turki Alalshikh didn’t insist on Opetaia combating somebody proficient for him to be on the October twelfth occasion.
“He’s tremendous proficient, Opetaia. He does a variety of issues rather well. He’s obtained fast arms, good toes, good shot choice, and might punch,” stated Chris Billiam-Smith to Secondsout about IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
“I feel individuals which might be saying he’s like the following Usyk, which I don’t agree with. I feel Usyk is a a lot, a lot better fighter than Opetaia,” Billiam-Smith stated. “I feel Briedis had a protracted layoff earlier than the primary struggle [with Opetaia] and had a protracted layoff for the second struggle, coming in direction of the top 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 wish to take exhausting photographs in his fights. Once more, he’s solely fought one notable fighter throughout his whole 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 feel he humanized Opetaia when it comes to the hype. For me, I see fighters for what they’re. I feel Opetaia is a unbelievable 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 a superb opponent for his conflict in opposition to Briedis. Nonetheless, they’re now returning him to the identical weak matchmaking by having him face Massey.
“He’s a unbelievable champion; Briedis was a superb 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 a variety of exhausting fights. He had two Tremendous Sequence back-to-back.
“Clearly, he misplaced to Usyk within the first one and received the second [against Yuniel Dorticos]. He’s had some powerful 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 feel he overdid in coaching camps. He was having three spars per week, 15 rounds in some unspecified time in the future. You’re not getting one of the best rounds in these 15 rounds. He was simply getting via them,” stated Billiam-Smith about Briedis.
