JACK MASSEY had his world title dream sunk by beer-loving Aussie cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia.
The Cheshire trier had a crack at the IBF title but the ruthless 29-year-old champ – who told SunSport in fight week that he proudly still mixes pulling punches and pints – was one round too much for him.
https://twitter.com/SkySportsBoxing/status/1845192312982233398The 31-year-old Brit challenger made a bold start, catching most of Opetaia’s attacks on his gloves and trying to counter.
The former scaffolder did not look poles apart in ability from the undefeated champ.
But a right hook at the end of the session swayed it into the Aussie’s favour.
Massey kept Opetaia honest in the second too, letting a few probing shots slip through, but none of his big and dangerous left hands that have a horrible habit of rendering 14st men unconscious.
The Englishman landed a lead left hook as soon as the third started that splashed sweat beads off Opetaia’s chiselled face.
It was a far more even contest than the bookies fancied at the start of the week, following Opeteia’s violent early finishes of brave Brit’s Jordan Thompson and Ellis Zorro.
Massey scored with a couple of impressive jabs in the fourth but he got too close to Samoan sun and got his wings and whiskers singed but the dangerous leftie.
The Cheshire challenger planned to take Opetaia into the later deep rounds but by the fifth his face was turning purple and bloody.
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And respected and caring trainer Joe Gallagher correctly threw in the white towel in the sixth when it was clearly a matter of time when his lad would get seriously hurt.
Opetaia spoke after the fight and offered his respect to Massey.
He said: “I felt good, nothing but respect to Jack and his family, big thanks to my family too.
“We jumped through some hurdles to get here, so many ups and downs but we stayed strong and together… the ins and outs of boxing.”
Meanwhile, boxer Ben Whittaker had to leave the event in a wheelchair after a freak injury.
He was taken to hospital after he fell out of the ring during his fight with Liam Cameron.
Cameron managed to get himself back into the ring and was ready to continue the bout.
However, Whittaker was unable to continue and the result was handed to Cameron.
