Jai Opetaia reaffirmed his goal for a unification clash with Gilberto Ramirez, moments after decisively defending his IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight titles.
The world champion secured his victory against Claudio Squeo in the main event of a Tasman Fighters show held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia.
Eyebrows were raised when Squeo – a relatively unknown fighter – weighed in at just over 191lbs the day before, significantly below the 200lb cruiserweight limit.
While Squeo typically weighs under 200lbs, this notable size difference fueled speculation that he would not be able to withstand the scheduled 12 rounds.
Nonetheless, Opetaia (28-0, 22 KOs) began the fight methodically, effectively using his left hand, while Squeo did little to avoid the frequent shots.
In the second round, the challenger continued to press forward without much tactical precision, allowing the more dynamic Opetaia to comfortably land punches from a distance.
The third round saw a shift to a more aggressive approach from Opetaia, who fluidly moved in and out of range while delivering a punishing attack.
Credit to Squeo, he managed to survive into the fourth round, but a sharp body shot sent him to the canvas.
However, referee Robert Hoyle ruled it a no-knockdown, penalizing Opetaia for holding the back of his opponent`s head during the sequence.
Despite this brief pause, Opetaia continued to break down his opponent. Early in the fifth round, he finished the fight with a looping right hook.
Hoyle started a count, but Squeo ultimately indicated he could not continue, bringing a swift and decisive end to his world title challenge.
In his post-fight interview, Opetaia commented on the quick finish: “I was just in a rush – I really wanted to get him out of there.” He then emphasized his future plans: “I’m chasing those unification fights – I’m chasing those world champions – and that’s where I’m focused.”
He explicitly called out his desired next opponent: “Next fight: Zurdo Ramirez. He’s mentioned me; he’s told me he’ll fight me next after [his WBA and WBO world title defence against Yuniel Dorticos on June 28], so let’s get it on.”
Opetaia concluded by expressing readiness for the fight: “The fight is easy to be made – we are ready. Whenever you call, we are ready.”
Following the interview, Opetaia’s manager, Mick Francis, hinted that the potential unification bout could take place on a Riyadh Season event card in October.
