Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) defeated Mairis Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs) in a rematch Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to lose the vacant title. won the IBF cruiserweight title.
Unfortunately, Opetaia's performance was poor, especially in the championship rounds. The battle was boring, as he had no intention of letting go and making war with Bridis as he had said. The scores were 117-112, 116-112, 116-112.
Bridis made the fight happen in the championship round, showed more courage than the younger fighter Opetaia, and gained attention despite losing.
Briedis' late surge and Opetaia's apparent fear
The 28-year-old Australian Opetaia did enough to take the win, but Jay was unsettled in the final three rounds with Briedis surging late and applying constant pressure.
Ringside fans looked disappointed as Opetaia did not want to mix with Briedis. On social media, fans widely criticized Opetaia.
Brides, who was outnumbered, fought Opetaia in the 10th round, suffering a bloody nose and bruised left eye. It is said that Opetaia once saw his own blood and rode his bicycle to avoid being hit.
Early in the contest, Opetaia bloodied Briedis' nose with a left hand in the sixth, but he looked confident in the part. But things changed when Briedis took aim at Opetaia. It was eye-opening to see the change in Opetaia. He hated being under pressure.
From confident to clinch happy
Opetaia advanced from the 10th round and showed no interest in fighting Bridis in the war he had repeatedly said he wanted. When Briedis hit Opetaia in the back of the head, he looked and signaled to the referee, asking him to step in and warn Bridis. Opetaia looked weak.
The ringside fans rallied behind Briedis for the final three rounds, seemingly cheering him on as he continued to attack Opetaia nonstop as he chased him around the ring. Opetaia's youth, speed and power advantage in this fight should have been the other way around.
