No one wanted to fight Australia’s best boxer. Until now

How much money would you want to get punched in the face by Jai Opetaia?

For the opponents the Australian most wants to face – WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez and WBC counterpart Badou Jack – their demands are $US8 million ($12 million) and $US10 million respectively. It is fantasy money that doesn’t exist in the cruiserweight division and further proof that Opetaia isn’t just one of the best boxers on the planet, but one of the most avoided.

Opetaia’s dream is to unify the division, a task made all the more difficult because the biggest names won’t fight him. Which is why Opetaia will instead be taking on an opponent who was offered more money not to fight him than to fight him.

Huseyin Cinkara, the mandatory challenger for Opetaia’s IBF world title, will earn about $70,000 when he steps into the ring at a sold-out Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday night. That’s about $30,000 less than he could have made if he had accepted an offer to instead step aside.

It’s a pointer to the fact that the undefeated German-born Turkish fighter, despite being a rank outsider, genuinely believes he can produce a mammoth upset and claim Opetaia’s world title.

“I’m here to fight, and I’m going to win,” Cinkara said. “God has given me the power to make sure I win this fight. I’ve prepared for war.”

Jai Opetaia is Australia’s best boxer.Credit: Getty Images

The undefeated fighters faced off on Friday ahead of a stacked Ring of Fire fight card, an event that will be shown live and exclusively on Stan pay-per-view on Saturday.

Opetaia has knocked back the riches on offer to move up to heavyweight, a shift he won’t make until he fulfils his ambition of becoming the unified cruiserweight champion. Resigned to the fact that Ramirez will continue to dodge him – Ramirez will instead fight big-name light-heavyweight David Benavidez – Opetaia hopes Benavidez wins and then faces him next.

But first he must get through Cinkara.

“Just another day in the office,” Opetaia said. “Just looking to put on a clinic.”

For Cinkara, at the age of 40, it is the last chance to take down a big name. For Opetaia, 10 years his junior, there are bigger paydays ahead if he can come through unscathed.

“We actually offered Cinkara more money to step aside than what we did to fight,” said Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis. “He thinks he will knock Jai out. He’s delusional.”

Opetaia is perhaps Australia’s best-kept sporting secret. While he is respected by the boxing fraternity and feared by his opponents, he isn’t a household name in Australia. That could well change if he becomes the unified cruiserweight champion and has similar success as a heavyweight but, for now, the biggest challenge is finding willing opponents.

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“The money that Ramirez is asking for is pie in the sky stuff,” Francis said.

“Ramirez does not want to fight Jai. He’s 36 years old, he’s got a young family, he’s a Mexican superstar over there, he makes a lot of money in endorsements.

“Why would he end his career with a hiding from Jai Opetaia?

“He wouldn’t have made $8 million in his whole career.

“Benavidez, they call him a monster and he is a different beast. I think he will take the fight with Jai. He isn’t scared of anyone. He’s not as old as Ramirez, he’s virtually the Mexican version of Jai Opetaia. He’s an animal, and he’s not scared of any man.”

Ring of Fire: Opetaia v Cinkara will take place on Saturday, December 6, with the main card live from 6pm (AEDT). Order now on Stan pay-per-view.

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