By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
IBF #11, WBO #11 heavyweight Demsey McKean has already been mooted as a possible challenger to WBC champion Tyson Fury, who has expressed interest in defending his belt in Australia. Now a new possibility has emerged: IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
“It’s a legitimate fight.” Mick Francis the manager of Opetaia told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Tyson Fury won’t get knocked out and Jai Opetaia won’t get knocked out. It’s a fight that will go the distance, it would be an absolute war. It’s all about bang for buck and you couldn’t wish for a better domestic fight. Jai’s got nothing to prove in the cruiserweight division and he would take the fight in a heartbeat. He spars heavyweights every day of the week because cruiserweights are too small for him, they’re not strong enough…we are talking about putting Australian boxing on the map with one of the biggest promotions this country has ever seen. People from all around the world would watch this!”
The optics of Fury fighting a cruiserweight champion are horrible. Damnit Fury, just fight Usyk or Joshua.
Fury fought Steve Cunningham and almost got KTFO…
Yeah, and Cunningham was 5 or 6 years past his prime and was never really noted as a big puncher. However he was quite skilled and an excellent counter puncher.
Nice try, DMV. That was like 100 years ago.
Hahaha almost KTFO?! Nice try. He got knocked down, and that was about it. Immediately after getting up he walked straight to Cunningham, he wasn’t even hurt. May I remind you how the fight ended???
You might want to watch that fight again. He also got staggered again in the 3rd round.
He got knocked down, yes. He did not “almost get KTFO”. He (Fury) wasn’t nearly as good as he’d become later at that point either obviously.
DMV, Fury is a much different fighter now. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s become of distinct size and strength advantages over the course of 3 fights against Wilder. Nobody should be demanding a match against a Cruiserweight. It’s worth noting that people didn’t even think Usyk deserved a shot and he was an Undisputed Champion.
If you love speed, then why not Bivol? It’s not like we haven’t had Light Heavyweights try before. Of course, the Heavyweight Champions weren’t athletic, 6’9″ monsters either.
It’ll be more entertaining than we think. Kinda like Rocky Vs Drago haha
Ufffck that! Tyson fury vs jake paul!!!! Where do they get all this fighters never heard of? Tyson fury vs mickey mouse or tyson fury vs king kong! This fat blob should be stripped of the titles for not defending them against the top 10 ranked fighters who have earn their shot!!!! This is a disrespect for the sport!!!!!!
I agree and wish they would strip his titles. He could go back to tv wrasslin which is where he belongs.
Jai Opetaia should fight Justis Huni, and Fury should just fight Usyk and be done with it, he loves stating he is still the Lineal world Champion??
Fury must be due to retire again soon.
Let’s see, Wallin was a pretty good southpaw and would have gotten a TKO win if his opponents name hadn’t been Tyson Fury. Usyk is also a southpaw, but much more skilled than Wallin so I fully expect Fury to do everything he can to avoid Usyk.
Fury almost looks fast and skilled against the dreadful talent in the HW division, but will look slow and clumsy against a truly skilled fighter like Usyk.
The Queen of the Gypsies would never give Wallin a rematch!
Neither guy will get knocked out is not a way to promote a fight..Australian promotions do not know boxing
Is this a joke? Starting to not like fury again!
Opetaia hasn’t even defended his title.
It’s a legitimate fight!! What is the man smoking? Fury evolving into a farce.
If he wants to fight in Australia so bad, let him fight Lucas Browne.
Please, no…
It would be so great if Browne could knock him out! Browne is capable of doing that.
Right………..because no one wants to see a knockout.
I really feel bad for the heavyweights that deserve a title shot. Fury has been holding the belts hostage for years. He doesn’t want to fight competitive fights anymore.
Fury is searching down under for the least qualified opponent he could fight. Why not dig up the corpse of Colin Wilson? Remember him? I think he’s still actually fighting.
A legendary fighter’s legacy is established by the fights he takes as well as by the ones he avoids.
Whatever next : Tyson Fury versus John Hopoate?
Fury makes me vomit chicken shit doesn’t want to fight anybody that poses a threat ,what a weak man
I’m suspicious of anything the author writes after seeing so many of his Bob Sheridan love stories