Opetaia is going to have to move up without unifying, isn’t he?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by The Cryptkeeper, Jun 29, 2025.


  1. Kiwi Fish

    Kiwi Fish Active Member Full Member

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    Yes that is sounding pretty unlikely now. I'm hoping that if they both come through their respective fights they can still make it early next year, but maybe a bit after that date.
     
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  2. peter_uk

    peter_uk Well-Known Member Full Member

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    TBH who cares if he beats Ramirez and/or Jack and unifies; in the long run yes the belts are nice, but it is fights not belts that define a fighter and in the big scheme of things Ramirez and Jack are non-entities in boxing history. If Opetaia wants to establish a lasting legacy then he needs to do it at HW.
     
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  3. like a boss

    like a boss Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    So unifications and dominations don't count unless they are at heavyweight?

    A narrowminded view, if ever there was one.
     
  4. peter_uk

    peter_uk Well-Known Member Full Member

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    You are probably right, I'm just speaking from the heart. I would fully expect Opetaia to box Ramirez's ears off and the prospect of the fight does not excite me. IMO greatness is ultimately defined as producing excitement and defying expectations, and beating Ramirez does neither of those things for Jai. Opetaia going to heavyweight and winning fights as the underdog and the smaller man would be much more memorable IMO. However I'm just a loser on a boxing forum, I have no place in telling another man what to do and if staying at Cruiserweight and dominating further is Opetaia's goal then all the power to him.
     
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  5. like a boss

    like a boss Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I'm not trying to judge you but you are even more confused than I had thought.
     
  6. Kiwi Fish

    Kiwi Fish Active Member Full Member

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    Opetaia has explained his thinking, him unifying Cruiserweight is an achievable amd tangible goal that he can have for his legacy and the rest of his life.

    Going to Heavyweight is more risky, and there is a chance that he loses with nothing to his name. I think he do well at heavyweight though, for the record.
     
  7. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Its more this is a tweener division. Who cares if someone unifies at 168 or CW. MW/LHW and HW are the real divisions.

    I honestly don't care about "undisputed" regardless think its dumb and arbitrary but defending him caring about it at HW and not CW.
     
  8. Camps

    Camps Member Full Member

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    That's fine just so long as Opetaia (safe bet he'll win Dec. 6) and the winner of Jack v. Mikaelian face off in, say, March (?) -- without any interfering fights in between....

    That's if Don King doesn't somehow manage to f@#k it all up....
     
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  9. Kiwi Fish

    Kiwi Fish Active Member Full Member

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    Say Opetaia moves up now without unifying, what are the chances that he is frozen out at heavyweight the same way? Its not like he is a big money spinner who can offer big purses to get named heavyweights in the ring, and he looks dangerous.

    Without the unifications at cruiserweight and being given a decent ranking there is every chance he struggles to get a title bout at heavyweight anyway.
     
  10. like a boss

    like a boss Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Opetaia did get offered a #3 ranking if he stepped up to heavyweight but outside of being made a mandatory or part of an eliminator, he can't make people fight him.
     
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