Jai Opetaia vs. Jordan Thompson: Date, time, how to watch, background
Cruiserweight titleholder Jai Opetaia is scheduled to defend his belt against Jordan Thompson on Saturday night in London.
JAI OPETAIA (22-0, 17 KOs)
VS. JORDAN THOMPSON (15-0, 12 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: OVO Arena Wembley, London
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Cruiserweight (200 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Odds: Opetaia 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Ellie Scotney vs. Laura Soledad Griffa, junior featherweights (for Scotney’s IBF title); Cheavon Clarke vs. Vasil Ducar, cruiserweights; Rhiannon Dixon vs. Katherina Thanderz, lightweights
Prediction: Opetaia KO 9
Background: Opetaia, a 28-year-old southpaw from Sydney, stunned the boxing world and arrived on the international scene with a convincing decision over veteran 200-pound beltholder Mairis Briedis in July of last year in Australia, his most recent fight. Briedis had lost only to Oleksandr Usyk. Opetaia hasn’t fought outside of Australia since 2017. He competed for his native country in the 2012 London Olympics, losing in the first round. Thompson is a 30-year-old boxer-puncher from London who will be fighting for a major title for the first time. He has stopped seven of his last eight opponents, including Luke Watkins in six rounds on April 22. However, this is a step up in opposition for him.
