Australian Jai Opetaia is world boxing champion after a stunning victory over Latvian Mairis Briedis on the Costa Daurada, although he broke the saw so much that he could not speak after the fight.
Opetaia (22-0, 17KO) defeated Briedis (28-2, 20KO) by unanimous decision in a bloody and exciting battle to claim IBF and Ring magazine’s weightlifting titles.
Opetaia, 27, was considered the clear outsider against Briedis, who had previously only lost one fight in his career: to current heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
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Great! BUSTED Jaw Victory Speech | 00:20
But the Sydneysider shook the reigning champion with several brutal blows before resisting a late rally to secure one of the biggest victories in Australian boxing history.
Incredibly, Opetaia won everything and broke her jaw only in the second round, showing incredible toughness to stand up late while Briedis threw everything at him.
The judges noted the fight 116-112, 115-113 and 116-12 in favor of the Australian.
“It simply came to our notice then. He is a special child … he will go down in the history books “, said the coach of the Australian Mark Wilson.
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Opetaia started impressively with Latvian Briedis suffering a cut to his right eye after a single round. “This is not in a great place,” commentator Ben Damon said.
Briedis gave the best he had in the first rounds, but Opetaia got a brutal uppercut in the fourth round, with the Latvian stepping on heading briefly to the wrong corner.
“Opetaia is producing a boxing clinic while we talk. They’re beautiful things from the Australian, ”Damon said.
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Opetaia took the ancestry until the final rounds, but a “desperate” Briedis continued to throw dangerous shots and tried to shake the Australian several times late. But, spurred on by his local audience, Opetaia showed incredible courage to achieve the memorable victory.
“The fact that he broke his jaw in the second round, was saved for him, and then in the 11th round, the jaw came off completely. And we saw that there was something wrong in his mouth, that blood was starting to come out … The courage to come out in those circumstances, that places Jai Opetaia in Australian folklore, ”said boxing expert Paul Kent.
“This will be something that in the coming years will be remembered by the people, and will be remembered by the people, when they go to show the examples of the great Australian sporting moments.”
Earlier, Issac Hardman stole the show at the co-main event with a vicious shot that knocked Beau Hartas down.
Hardman looked elegant during the first round and continued to label Hartas.
But it was a brutal right hand that put Canberran to sleep.
Scary scenes followed, as Hartas did not get up.
Paramedics entered the ring and carried a stretcher, but luckily it was not necessary.
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AUSSIE STAR ENSURES THE FIRST TITLE OF THE NIGHT
Taylah Robertson was the first Australian of the night to win a world title, defeating Venezuelan Yoselin Fernandez for the IBF super flyweight youth world title.
Robertson dominated Fernandez throughout the fight before the referee stopped in the final round to end the fight.
It was an impressive performance from start to finish for the 24-year-old, who improved to a 6-1 record.
THE WILD WALKOUT OF KIWI STAR IS AMAZING AGAIN
David Nyika produced the best start of the George Kambosos tab against Devin Haney when he disguised himself as Boba Fett and was back in the Mairis Briedis vs Jai Opetaia tab.
The Kiwi wore a Mulan-inspired costume to continue his fascination with all things Disney, but there was nothing childish about his performance.
Nyika survived an early bombardment of Louis Marsters in her cruising weight fight to return and finish the technical knockout fight in the second round.
It was a vicious body shot that dropped Marsters to his knees and caused the referee to step in and stop the fight as Nyika improved to a 4-0 lead.
COMPLETE FIGHT CARD
Festive Opetaia defeated Mairis Briedis by unanimous decision (116-112, 115-113, 116-12) for IBF and Ring Magazine world weightlifting titles
Issac Hardman defeated Beau Hartas by KO in round 1: middleweight
Faris Chevalier defeats by Conor Wallace via SD (98-92, 98-92, 94-96) – for the AMB Lightweight Oceania title
Joel Camilleri defeats by Koen Mazoudier via SD (98-92, 99-92, 95-96) – for Australasia WBA Oceania and WBC superwelterweight title
Taylah Robertson defeats Yoselin Fernandez by technical knockout in round 10 – FIB super flyweight youth world title
Dana Coolwell defeated Lorenz Ladrada by technical knockout in round 4 – featherweight
David Nyika defeated Louis Marsters by technical knockout in round 2: cruising weight
Miles Zalewski defeat Shiva Mishra by RTD in round 6: featherweight
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