Jai Opetaia upsets Mairis Briedis is brutal fight to win cruiserweight title
Jai Opetaia has arrived.
The 2012 Olympian from Sydney endured a damaged jaw to take Mairis Briedis’ IBF cruiserweight title by a unanimous decision in a brutal, bloody upset Saturday in Broadbeach, Australia.
The scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113, all in favor of Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs).
The 27-year-old southpaw, who turned pro in 2015, controlled the fight with his right jab and straight lefts that consistently found the target. He evidently broke Briedis’ nose in the fourth round, as it bled thereafter.
Briedis (28-2, 20 KOs) landed his share of heavy blows, which kept him in the fight and reportedly broke his opponent’s jaw in the second round. However, Opetaia endured and generally beat the Latvian to the punch to win rounds.
The new champion showed great determination in the final rounds, when it appeared his jaw might’ve been further damaged.
Opetaia is the first Aussie to win a world title on home soil since Jeff Horn outpointed Manny Pacquiao to win a welterweight title in 2017.
Briedis, 37, has had three reigns as a 200-pound champion.
