Jai Opetaia defends his IBF cruiserweight title against mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara this Saturday, December 6, on DAZN.
Considered the most shunned fighter in the cruiserweight division, Opetaia (28-0, 22 KOs) is stuck with another lackluster opponent, defending against 40-year-old Cinkara (23-0, 19 KOs) at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia.
Snitch by default
It’s not the fight Opetaia wanted. He called out WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez to get him to agree to a unification. It didn’t work. He ignored Jai’s repeated calls, and it reached the point where it was abandoned.
Ramirez next defends against David Benavidez on May 2, 2026. Even Benavidez seems reluctant to fight Opetaia. When Benavidez was asked about his interest in fighting Opetaia at his post-fight press conference after his win over Anthony Yarde on November 22, 2025, he suddenly appeared nervous. He uttered a non-answer, “I’m here to prove myself.” The look on Benavidez’s face was like someone putting their feet to the fire.
Benavidez hesitated
Benavidez’s body language was defensive and evasive, like a person put under bright lights during an interrogation. Moments before, he looked confident. talking about his fight with ‘Zurdo’s Ramirez. But when Opetaia was raised, his mood changed. This has given fans the opinion that Benavidez has no intention of fighting Jai and will dodge him like the others have done in cruiserweight.
Ducking Culture
This was another example of how Opetaia affects fighters. He is clearly the boogeyman of the cruiserweight division, and a fighter who is treated like a leper by the top guys in the division. The duck culture in this weight class is a problem and has held Jai back from getting the fights he needs.
Opetaia comes into Saturday’s fight with three straight knockouts dating back to 2024. None of the guys he beat were the big names he wanted. This was all he could get:
- Claudio Squeo
- David Nyika
- Jack Massey
Last updated on 12/01/2025
