Jai Opetaia v Brandon Glanton Predictions

Why didn't Benavidez fight Beterbiev instead of Yarde, the guy Beterbiev destroyed?

Benavidez, like everyone, chased Canelo for the money and fame, and because it would have been an easy fight, as confirmed by Canelo's loss to Crawford. Not because he is fighting the best.

 

This is the truth. Opetaia has been fighting guys with the biggest balls, because the rest are scared.

 

Billam-Smith was the primary mallard, ducked Opetaia to face Ramirez and had it handed to him.

 

We all know who they are. Now tell me HOW Opetaia COULD have faced them. They’ve all ducked him, except for possibly Mikaeljan who has only just won his belt. The others have run for the hills.

So for you to say that Opetaia has been handled “too conservatively” is utter nonsense. He’s already beaten the second best CW in the world twice. The rest of the alleged elite are cowards. Yet somehow this is Opetaia’s fault?

Give me a goddamn break.

 

I hope that Benavidez beats Zurdo, who is the biggest coward in the sport.

And I hope this happens so that Opetaia can then hand Benavidez his head on a plate.

At that point the ignorant Opetaia critics will hopefully crawl back under their rocks.

 

Why? He can stay ranked at cruiserweight while also fighting top guys at heavyweight.

 

Funny thing is that I'm actually a fan of Jai. I just don't blindly support a fighter, and yes, if Benavidez started fighting bum after bum I would go after him as well.

 

Yo yoing his weight up and down and taking his focus away from the division will only help ensure he never gets to unify.

 

I've already written what I think, have a good evening.

 

Update for the ignorant :

After Ramirez, Billam-Smith, Riakporhe and others had avoided Opetaia, an agreement was reached for Opataia and Jack to meet in an IBF/WBC unification fight.

Opetaia-Jack was delayed because a rematch was ordered between Jack and Mikaelyan.

Mikaelyan then spoiled the party by beating Jack in December and taking his WBC title.

Opetaia’s people then approached Mikaelyan’s and an agreement is in place for Opetaia and Mikaelyan to meet in an IBF/WBC unification fight. But, under the terms of that agreement, Mikaelyan wants a fight before meeting Opetaia.

So here we are in February and Opetaia is defending his IBF title against Ring #10 Glanton in March and awaiting news of who Mikaelyan will be defending his WBC title against and when.

With Opetaia’s luck so far, Mikaelyan will probably get beaten and Opetaia will be back to the drawing board trying to coax Ramirez into being interested in a unification fight or try and fight the guy who beat Mikaelyan - assuming there isn't a rematch cause delaying that possibility.

 

It's unclear what Beterbiev's future plans are. Months ago there was talk of him fighting in the Benavidez-Yarde sottoclue (and I thought a Benavidez-Beterbiev fight could be scheduled in the first half of 2026), but he didn't fight. I think we'll see Bivol-Beterbiev 3 this year, Turki Alalshikh likes the fight and I think it will be scheduled, but I might be wrong.

In cruiserweight I hope the winner of the Benavidez-Beterbiev can then fight Opetaia. I'm optimistic given Jai's move to Zuffa Boxing, the Australian is strong but I think he's been handled too carefully so far. A match between the Opetaia and the winner of Benavidez-Ramirez would be one of the most interesting fights we can currently have, in my opinion.

 

He wouldn't have to change weight he just wouldn't dehydrate before fights. How would it effect his focus?

It's been years and he hasn't made progress in terms of unification. He has nothing to lose in fighting at heavyweight

 

Enjoy Opetaia for the champion he is and stop frustrating yourself trying to tell him what HIS ambitions are.

He knows what his ambitions are and he has expressed them every time someone has asked.

 

A few days ago, Opetaia's manager, Mick Francis, stated that Jai's priority is unification. So I think this year is a good one to see him face another champion in the division, especially considering that a match against the winner of the Ramirez-Benavidez bout would be in high demand and would therefore bring in significant earnings, the first thing boxers usually (and understandably) look for.

Then, in the future, I think we'll see Opetaia at heavyweight, as he's stated in the past. It's not an easy transition, however, in the past there have been great cruiserweights who have disappointed at heavyweight, like Gomez and Jirov.