Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh has urged Australia’s Jai Opetaia to go and unify the cruiserweight division in 2025 – convinced an ‘undisputed’ crown can then catapult him into a megafight against heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
Already the IBF and Ring champion,2 9-year-old Opetaia is set to ignite a huge start to the year for Australian boxing when he defends against New Zealand’s David Nyika on the Gold Coast, Wednesday night.
Only a fortnight after Opetaia throws down, fellow undefeated Aussie Sam Goodman will look to cause one of the greatest boilovers in boxing history when he challenges Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue in Tokyo on January 24.=/8
Both Tim Tszyu and younger brother Nikita are also looking to return to the ring in the first quarter of 2025, with the boxing brothers expected to star on huge Pay-Per-Views in both March and April.
Should Opetaia take his undefeated streak to 27 straight in Wednesday’s headliner, there is already talk of him potentially looking to unify in May against Mexico’s Gilberto Ramirez, who holds both the WBA and WBO straps.
