IBF cruiserweight world champion Mairis Briedis (28-1, 20 KOs) of Latvia will go to Australia to defend his belt against undefeated Australian challenger Jai Opetaia (21-0, 17 KOs) on July 2, at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Briedis, 37, is a three-time cruiserweight champion and his only professional defeat came to the current unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
The native of Latvia is on a five fight win streak since losing to Usyk and even though he is fighting in the challengers country, Briedis will be the favorite to win due to his experience at the championship level.
Opetaia, 27, is ten years younger than Briedis and will have youth on his side on fight night. He might lack the big fight experience but he will make up for it with his conditioning and power. The champion could get old over night and Opetaia will need to capitalize on it by applying a lot of energetic pressure to make those old legs tired.
Opetaia is a southpaw and Briedis is orthodox so you have a styles match that could present problems for the champion.
It’s a can’t miss fight that could be a changing of the guard, with the new generation fight winning or the older lion could still have more left in the tank and teach the younger fighter a lesson in the ring.
Fight Card
Cruiserweight Championship – Mairis Briedis vs. Jai Opetaia (IBF Title)
Middleweight – Issac Hardman vs. Beau Hartas
Light Heavyweight – Faris Chevalier vs. Conor Wallace
Super Welterweight – Joel Camilleri vs. Koen Mazoudier
Super Flyweight – Taylah Robertson vs. Yoselin Fernandez
Featherweight – Dana Coolwell vs. Lorenz Ladrada
Cruiserweight – David Nyika vs. Louis Marsters
Watch Mairis Briedis vs Jai Opetaia IBF cruiserweight title fight on Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM ET / 2:00 AM PT live stream on ESPN+ in the United States and FITE.TV and on KAYO in Australia.
