- Jai Opetaia secured another stoppage time victory to retain his title in Saudi Arabia
- Jack Massey’s team threw in the towel in the sixth round of their match
- Opetaia will face the winner of Chris Billiam-Smith’s fight
Jack Massey had hoped for a fairytale evening in Saudi Arabia, but Jai Opetaia shattered those dreams with an impressive performance that forced the Brit’s trainer to throw in the towel.
From the start, Opetaia took control, dominating the center of the ring and putting pressure on Massey, who gave up too much ground. Although Massey managed to land a solid right hand to the body, he provided little hindrance for the champion in the first.
In the second round, Opetaia’s powerful right hook quickly put Massey on the defensive, forcing him into the corner. Opetaia’s footwork was sharp, keeping him just out of reach while Massey aimed for body shots but struggled to connect.
Massey showed more fight in the third round, landing a strong right hand and throwing more punches than before. He followed with a body combination, trying to frustrate Opetaia, but the champion remained unphased. By the end of the round, Opetaia had Massey pinned in the corner again, landing a flurry of punches before the bell – an impressive showing for the Kiwi.
Massey entered the fourth round with renewed aggression, landing a solid right hand and closing the round with several combinations. However, Opetaia’s movement continued to cause Massey problems, allowing him to avoid much of the foul. As the round came to a close, Opetaia once again trapped Massey in the corner and refused to give him any room to breathe.
Jack Massey had hoped for a fairytale night in Saudi Arabia, but Jai Opetaia shattered those dreams with an impressive performance that forced the British trainer to throw in the towel
In the sixth round, Massey went into survival mode, throwing everything he had at Opetaia but failing to make a significant impact. Instead, he absorbed more punishment from Opetaia
From Massey’s corner the towel was thrown in to end the match at the Kingdom Arena
In the fifth round, Opetaia reasserted control with his jab, outsmarting Massey with nearly 40 more punches. Massey held up well under pressure and managed to counter, but Opetaia’s increased pace and precision took their toll. Massey suffered a cut to his right eye and was wounded by a powerful body shot, forcing him to hang on and survive the round.
Opetaia, ruthless and refusing to give up, continued to push until the bell, cementing his dominance as the fight entered the later rounds.
In the sixth round, Massey went into survival mode, throwing everything he had at Opetaia but failing to make a significant impact. Instead, he absorbed more punishment from the ruthless champion before the towel was thrown in.
Opetaia emphatically retained his title and delivered a masterclass performance. He will next face the winner of Chris Billiam-Smith vs. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.