JAI OPETAIA held off a Maris Briedis fight back to reclaim the IBF cruiserweight world title and settle their bloody two-fight rivalry.
The 2022 original went to Opetaia on points but the Aussie southpaw suffered a double-fractured jaw.
However it was Briedis who spent the last two years out recovering before making his return on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk.
The 39-year-old Latvian three-time boxing champ jumped straight back into the action with the rematch and made a slow start.
But he busted the 28-year-old Australian up late on and seemed hard done by when the scores were called: 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112.
The southpaw powerhouse threw long spearing jabs at the Latvian veteran’s head and body from the off.
When they didn’t land he took his foot off the gas and bounced around the ring on the prowl.
The action dried up quickly but Briedis did tag his designer stubble back with a short right hand his fans enjoyed.
There were two wild firefights in the second session, one at the very beginning and one around the midway point.
Without too much jabbing or trap setting, the pair bounced into opposite corners and slugged it out.
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It seemed certain one of the 14st 4lbs tough men would drop but they beat gravity as well as each other.
The third chapter was more mellow, apart from Briedis’ dirty habit of slamming fists illegally into the softer, back section of Opetaia’s head.
Opetaia dominated the middle rounds but with industry and determination rather than eye-catching punches or damage inflicted on tough-as-old-boots Briedis.
There was a drastic dip in quality and action until the end of round ten when Opetaia landed a massive right hand that spread blood all over Briedis’ face.
Opetaia’s peak was short lived, Briedis landed a handful of uppercuts even with his face swelling and blood mixing with his sweat and soaking him.
And the dogged veteran chased his supposed heir all around the ring throwing shots and busting his nose with a right hand, before ref Howard Foster sent it to the judges’ cards.
Opetaia said after his win: “Shout out to my family. Briedis, I’m honoured to share a ring with him.
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“He’s a tough dude. He wanted it, I could hear it. I could hear the pain in his punches. Take my hat off to him.
“We knew we were in for a tough fight, we were ready for 12 rounds of war and that’s what we got. I knew he would come home strong.
“It rocked me when he headbutted my nose. I broke his nose and he broke mine.
“I want the WBO next, I want the winner of Billam-Smith and Riakporhe.
“I’m not that happy with my performance, I can do better. We’ll go back and we’ll improve.”
By Dave Kidd
IT is the single greatest individual sporting title on the planet — the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
It is the crown worn by Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey.
And it is an honour which has not been bestowed for a quarter of a century.
Yet when Tyson Fury steps into the ring to face Oleksandr Usyk for the ultimate accolade in prize-fighting, he will do so in the dead of an Arabian night, in front of a largely disinterested crowd, one with little atmosphere or sense of occasion.
What ought to have been The Greatest Show on Earth will feel like a ding-dong held in a vortex.
The Saudification of elite sport is reaching crisis point — from the civil war in golf, to the march of football’s filthy-rich Saudi Pro League, to the awarding of the 2034 World Cup.
But this event, at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena, in the early hours of Sunday morning local time, is a true crown jewel, allowing the Sheikhs to bask in its reflected glory, to marvel at their own wealth and power.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr met Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at the same venue earlier this year but that was an exhibition match, this is the real deal.
The tragedy for British boxing is that it currently holds the balance of power in the heavyweight division — thanks to Fury, Anthony Joshua and several other decent contenders.
