By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
In a nationally televised promotion, IBF #3 cruiserweight Jai Opetaia (21-0, 17 KOs) stopped Daniel Russell (7-3-2, 4 KOs) in round two on Saturday at the Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on Foxtel television network and Kayo Sports. Opetaia is expected to challenge IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Breidis early in 2022, as has been ordered by the IBF.
Opetaia said, “I can’t wait man. We got this one out of the way, now we can just focus mainly on that world title shot. We’re just going to build fitter, stronger, faster every day.”
In other action, IBF #15 middleweight Issac Hardman (12-0, 10 KOs) stopped late sub Adam Stowe (6-3-2, 4 KOs) in round four of a scheduled ten round bout for the IBF Australasian and Australian title. The corner of Stowe threw the towel into the ring. Afterward, Hardman vowed “I’m going to smash that Michael Zerafa’s head in.”
Former WBA heavyweight champion Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (30-3, 26 KOs) scored a come-from-behind seventh round knockout over former Australian champion Faiga Opelu (14-3-1, 10 KOs) in a scheduled ten round bout to capture the WBA Oceana title.
Matchmaker Stuart Duncan, promoter Dean Lonergan.
Browne won the WBA Oceana title? What is that? Never heard of it…
Another WBA scheme to make boxers poorer. ‘Legalized theft’ if you want a descriptive term.
Well, there Lucas Browne at 42 wins again just as a person thinks he had nothing left in the fight. Terrible boxer really, but a big punch is a big punch.
Browne’s opposition made him look decent in this fight. Browne is a clunky, boring, stiff, and poor technician as a fighter in my opinion at this stage in his advanced aged career.
Opetaia is a absolute champion but this fight was totally useless for him as any sort of warm up for a World Title fight. He gained nothing from it other than making his record look better with another KO on it.