Various Aussie sources revealed this past weekend that former Olympian Jai Opetaia will challenge IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis on April 6th, potentially in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, [or] Newcastle.”
The 37-year-old Briedis (28-1, 20 KO), the consensus #1 cruiser in the game, ended a 13-month layoff last October by mauling Artur Mann in three. Then came a long, embarrassing campaign to secure a fight with Jake Paul, including an awful tattoo and a crapload of fake social media followers.
Instead, he meets #4 contender Opetaia (21-0, 17 KO), who’s accomplished virtually nothing in 5.5 years as a professional. Even with the age difference, toppling Briedis would be one of the bigger upsets in recent memory.
According to The Australian, Justis Huni will return to action as well. He was slated to represent his home country in Tokyo, but withdrew after suffering an injury in his one-sided beatdown of Paul Gallen.