- Opetaia vs Briedis takes place on Sunday May 19 (Australian time)
- Fight is a preview of the titanic battle between Fury and Usyk
- The IBF and The Ring cruiserweight titles are on the line
The highly anticipated cruiserweight rematch between Jai Opetaia and Mairis Briedis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia promises to be the biggest fight of the year for Australian boxing fans.
The 28-year-old Australian boxer will be keen to get another win over the man who broke his jaw in two places the last time they met but still couldn’t beat him.
Opetaia currently holds the Ring cruiserweight belt, but no longer holds the IBF title after vacating it in 2023.
The undefeated southpaw has looked excellent in his last two outings, while the hard-hitting 39-year-old Briedis has been inactive.
‘It’s a very tough fight, I have to be honest. The first battle, if you look back at it, was a war. It was an exciting fight,” said promoter Eddie Hearn.
The cruiserweight rematch between Aussie Jai Opetaia (pictured) and Mairis Briedis is just days away in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Latvian Briedis (pictured) broke the Australian’s jaw the last time the pair met in the ring, but still couldn’t win
‘Briedis broke Jai Opetaia’s jaw in two places. He showed incredible heart that night. He came through and took the points victory. It was a contender for fight of the year.
“A few years later, I believe Jai has gotten better. I feel like his confidence is through the roof now. What Briedis has left will be a very big throw.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the fight that could make Opetaia one of the biggest names in the fighting game.
The pair will fight for the vacant IBF belt and the ring belt of Opetaia (photo, action from the pair’s first fight in
When is Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis?
The fight will take place in the early hours of Sunday, May 19 (AET).
The fight for the vacant IBF cruiserweight title is at the forefront of the highly anticipated clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
The main card starts at 2am (AET) with ring walks for Fury and Usyk scheduled for 8am – so Opetaia and Briedes must fight an hour beforehand.
This is the second date the fight has been set for, as it had to be postponed after originally being scheduled for February.
Opetaia is coming off back-to-back knockout wins and is the favorite to regain his cruiserweight world crown ahead of some of boxing’s biggest movers and shakers
Where is Opetaia vs. Briedis?
The rematch between the two will take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
How to watch the match
For boxing fans around the world, the titanic clash will be broadcast live on DAZN PPV.
The price to watch the fight in Australia is $34.99.