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Boxing prodigy Jai Opetaia looking to turn heads against Frankie Lopez

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Opetaia vs. Lopez
Opetaia vs. Lopez

Victorian sports fans will get a chance to see one of this country’s best world title prospects in action when Australia’s youngest ever Olympic boxer Jai Opetaia fights in Melbourne for just the second time in his pro career when he faces international opponent Frankie Lopez at Hosking Promotions’ “Punches at the Park 6” at the Melbourne Park Function Centre on Saturday 21 October.

“I fought in Melbourne for my second professional fight,” says Opetaia. “I’ve been to Melbourne plenty of times for training and other things and I love it there. I’m looking forward to fighting there again and putting on a show for my Melbourne followers.”

The 10-round contest will pit Opetaia against highly-credentialed Californian Lopez 9-0 (7 KOs) who is trained by four-time world champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Virgil Hill. On the line will be the vacant IBF Youth cruiserweight title.

“To be honest I haven’t seen much of my opponent at all but I’ve been sparring top boxers and been training well so I’m ready for any style he comes out with,” says Opetaia, who claimed gold at the 2011 AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships in the Kazakhstan capital of Astana.

The 22-year-old Sydney southpaw has been boxing professionally for just over two years but has already been turning heads with his silky smooth boxing skills and explosive power that have seen nine of his 12 opponents fail to hear the final bell.

“I just do my best to box smart and if the knockout comes, it comes,” says Opetaia. “But at the same time I’m confident that my power is there when I need it.”

In his last bout Opetaia claimed both the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) and Australian cruiserweight titles against the normally durable 43-fight veteran Daniel Ammann with a TKO in the ninth round.

Opetaia vs. Lopez
Opetaia vs. Lopez
“Looking back on my last fight I know it wasn’t my best performance,” says Opetaia. “It was my first ten round fight and I let that play in my head to save energy. When the fight finished I felt like I could’ve done a lot more and stopped him earlier.’
Opetaia, who is cousins with Socceroos great Tim Cahill and former Parramatta Eels playmaker Ben Roberts, says that he is only getting better with every fight.
“As I’ve gotten older I’ve felt like I’ve gotten stronger as I’m not a kid anymore,” says Opetaia, who was originally scheduled to fight Lopez in his ancestral home of Samoa last month before the fight card fell through.
“And now in the professionals, we throw to hurt, not throw to score points. But I’m 22 and improving every day.”
This spells trouble for his opponents, starting with Lopez on Saturday night.
– ENDS –
Photos and videos are available for download HERE or by copying and pasting the link goo.gl/49XZdS into a web browser. Credit must be given to Hosking Promotions for photos and videos used.
Follow us on social media at: @lyndenhosking @hoskpromotions @JasonMoloney1 @andrewmoloney52 @TonyTolj @JaiOpetaia or use the hashtags #PATP6 #hoskingpromotions or #makingithappen for all the latest news.
Media Contact:
Lynden Hosking
Hosking Promotions
M: 0437 258 618
About Jai Opetaia
22-year-old Jai Opetaia was born in Sydney, Australia of Samoan descent. He took up boxing at a young age and enjoyed a successful amateur career that culminated in his appearance at the 2012 London Olympics as Australia’s youngest ever Olympic boxer where he competed against the big boys at heavyweight at the tender age of 16. His amateur credentials include winning the 2011 Junior World Championships as a light heavyweight and claiming the bronze medal at the AIBA Youth Championships in the heavyweight division the following year. As a professional Opetaia competes as a cruiserweight (200lb/90.7kg) and is undefeated in 12 bouts with nine wins coming by way of knockout. Opetaia is the reigning Australian and OPBF cruiserweight champion.
About “Punches at the Park 6”
“Punches at the Park 6” is presented by Premix King, Gruppo Alessi and Adara Apartments at the Melbourne Park Function Centre on 21 October. Doors open at 4:00pm with the first fight commencing at 5:00pm. The eight fight card will be headlined by Jason “The Smooth One” Moloney moving down a weight class to bantamweight where he hopes to claim the vacant WBA Oceania title from Julias Kisarawe of Tanzania in a 10-round international bout. Jason is world rated by all four major sanctioning bodies: WBA #8, WBO #10, IBF #13 and WBC #30. Also on the card is Jason’s twin brother and 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Andrew “The Monster” Moloney who will be making the first defence of his WBA Oceania super flyweight title against Hashimu Zuberi of Tanzania in a 10-rounder. Andrew is world rated WBA #6, IBF #13 and WBC #20. Ibrahim “La Bala” Balla is matched with Tanzanian’s Salim Mtango for the vacant WBA Oceania featherweight title over 10. 22-year-old Sydney southpaw Jai Opetaia puts his unbeaten record on the line against fellow undefeated cruiserweight Frankie Lopez, 22, from North Hollywood, California, USA when the two battle it out for the vacant IBF Youth championship over 10 rounds. In other action bantamweight Cherneka “Sugar Neekz” Johnson faces Febriyanti Lubis, cruiserweight Dylan Goddard will fight an opponent to be named, Cliff Chamberlain Jr and Jayden “Plugger” Nichols collide at cruiserweight and welterweights Gregory Bell and Victor Odindo will open the show. Centrally located at the Melbourne Park Function Centre in the heart of Melbourne’s sporting precinct, the venue is just a short walk from the CBD and well serviced by trains and trams that take you right up to the front door.
Ticket Information
Tickets for “Punches at the Park 6” are available from Eventopia by clicking on the following link: www.eventopia.co/PATP6 with general admission starting from $84.85. The event is expected to be a sellout so please get in early to secure your seat. The card will be broadcast LIVE on www.liveboxing.com.au and will be replayed on Fox Sports in Australia.
About Hosking Promotions
Hosking Promotions is owned and operated by Lynden Hosking, who represented Australia in the boxing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the 69kg welterweight division. Hosking Promotions is committed to bringing world class, evenly matched boxing bouts to Melbourne to showcase the best talent in this country.
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