Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo:
Opetaia wins by KO in round 5.
Conor Wallace vs. Dylan Colin:
Wallace wins by UD.
Tyler Blizzard vs. Rocky Ogden:
Blizzard wins by UD.
Danny Keating vs. Blake Minto:
Keating wins by UD.
Max McIntyre vs. Ricaia Warren:
McIntyre wins by KO in round 6.
Austin Aokuso vs. Ikenna Enyi:
Aokuso wins by UD.
Mariah Turner vs. Leah Reuben:
Turner wins by UD.
Xavier Fletcher vs. Alivereti Dodomo:
Fletcher wins by TKO in round 2.
Jack Gregory vs. Matt Floyd:
Gregory wins by UD.
Australia’s Jai Opetaia (27-0, 21 KOs) returns to action on June 8, defending his IBF and The Ring cruiserweight belts against unbeaten Italian Claudio Squeo (17-0, 9 KOs) on the Gold Coast. It’s a voluntary defense and a fight the champion openly refers to as a “stay busy” matchup - an unwelcome necessity while he continues to push for unification showdowns. Opetaia, still riding the momentum of a thunderous knockout against David Nyika, has made clear he’s not underestimating Squeo despite his frustration.
The Australian had set his sights on Mexican star Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, who holds the WBA and WBO titles. Opetaia believes that fight should have been easy to make - two champions, four belts - but negotiations have stalled. He’s made no secret of his suspicion that Ramirez, scheduled for a mandatory WBA defense, might be avoiding their unification bout. “The best should be fighting the best,” Opetaia told DAZN, “and there’s no reason this shouldn’t be happening right now.”
Watch Opetaia vs. Nyika highlights:
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Despite his annoyance, Opetaia knows he can’t afford to slip up against Squeo, who comes in with a 17-0 record and a No.14 ranking with the IBF. If Opetaia wins, promoter Eddie Hearn remains hopeful that a blockbuster fight with Ramirez could still happen before year’s end, assuming both sides truly want to roll the dice. The 29-year-old Aussie, meanwhile, is ready to prove yet again why he’s the top cruiserweight in the country and deserving of the global spotlight.
For now, Opetaia has little choice but to stay focused, keep winning, and hope the unification puzzle pieces fall into place. Having battled through broken jaws, injuries, and stalled negotiations, he remains determined to lock down the blockbuster fights that have so far eluded him. One thing is certain: a decisive victory in May would further sharpen the call for the high-stakes showdown he’s been chasing.
Fight card:
▪️Jai Opetaia vs. Claudio Squeo, 12 rounds, for Opetaia’s IBF cruiserweight title
▪️Tyler Blizzard vs. Rocky Ogden, 10 rounds, for the vacant IBF Pan Pacific featherweight title
▪️Danny Keating vs. Blake Minto, 10 rounds, welterweight
▪️Conor Wallace vs. Dylan Colin, 8 rounds, light heavyweight
▪️Max McIntyre vs. Ricaia Warren, 8 rounds, super middleweight
▪️Mariah Turner vs. Jaala Tomat, 6 x 2 rounds, for the vacant Australia featherweight title
▪️Austin Aokuso vs. Ikenna Enyi, 6 rounds, light heavyweight
▪️Xavier Fletcher vs. Alivereti Dodomo, 5 rounds, super middleweight
▪️Matt Floyd vs. Jack Gregory, 4 rounds
Watch the press conference here:
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