British heavyweight warhorse Derek Chisora could fight none other than reigning Ring Magazine and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia in his much talked about “50th and out” fight. As per a news story from Fox Sports, Opetaia and his team are looking at making the move up to the heavyweight division early next year, this after taking care of a mandatory defence against Huseyin Cinkara.
And Alalshikh wants to see the southpaw from Oz get it on with the he’s-fought-them-all Chisora, 36-13(23). Eddie Hearn recently spoke about the strong chance of Opetaia making the move up to heavyweight, this as the Australian warrior is tired of waiting around for the title unification fights he wants; what with preferred rival “Zurdo” Ramirez, who holds two belts 200 pounds, currently injured.
Could Opetaia’s first heavyweight fight come against Chisora?
Speaking with Fox Sports, Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis actually said Turki wants his fighter to move up to heavyweight “now.”
“We’ve spoken with Turki – he wants Jai at heavyweight now,” Francis said. “And if that were to happen, he’d go straight into number three with the IBF (rankings at heavyweight). There is also an opportunity there to fight Chisora. I’ve spoken with the IBF and said ‘if Jai goes up, where would you put him?’ And they’ve told me he would go straight to number three in their rankings. Turki wants to make that fight with Chisora. Everyone knows that would be massive. There would be plenty of interest.”
It would be very interesting seeing Opetaia take his first big test as a heavyweight against the exact same man who severely tested the great Oleksandr Usyk when he fought what was actually his second fight up at heavyweight; with Chisora pushing Usyk all the way for 12 rounds. Could Opetaia stop or KO Chisora if he fought him?
Will Chisora take it or price himself out?
Francis says there is a chance Chisora will price himself out of the fight, this as “he’d be no match for Opetaia,” who would “hurt him.” But Chisora has shown he will fight absolutely anybody, and what a great fight it could be for the UK if 30 year old Opetaia, for many the best cruiserweight in the world and a pound-for-pound fighter, came over to rumble with Chisora.
Let’s see what move Team-Opetaia makes, and if Chisora is on board for the fight.
Can Opetaia, 28-0(22) go on to become world heavyweight champion, either before or after Usyk retires?
