HARD-hitting heavyweight prospect Teremoana Jnr has unfinished business with Olympic rival Bakhodir Jalolov ahead of his eagerly awaited homecoming on January 8.
The 26-year-old will take on Osasu Otobo at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia, featuring on the undercard of Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika.
Along with the IBF cruiserweight titlist, this event will showcase an array of Australian talent, shining a light on the region’s rapidly growing boxing scene.
Looking to steal the Matchroom and Tasman Fighters-promoted show is Teremoana Jnr, a prolific knockout artist who comes off an emphatic first-round stoppage victory over Volodymyr Katsuk.
None of his five professional outings, in fact, have made it past the second round, with the formidable puncher swiftly establishing himself as a ruthless finisher.
But before resuming his murderous surge in the paid ranks, Teremoana Jnr returned to the amateurs at the beginning of 2023, familiarising himself with the shorter format ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Sure enough, the promising talent reached the super heavyweight quarter-final, only to lose a unanimous decision to two-time gold medallist Jalolov who, like the Australian, is seemingly destined for greatness.
Still, Teremoana Jnr is determined to exact his revenge on the fearsome Uzbek, insisting that their second encounter could take place before long.
“I definitely want my rematch, because I believe I got that win at the Olympics,” he told Boxing News. “Give me some time and we’ll definitely get our rematch in the pros. I’m looking forward to it.”
While the pair appear to be on a collision course, Teremoana Jnr equally acknowledges that his professional development has only just begun.
At this stage, activity is the top priority, and despite the heavy weight of expectation upon his shoulders, the Cook Islander remains unfazed by the noise surrounding his career.
“I’m just here to have a good time, enjoy myself and punch people in the face,” Teremoana Jnr added, shortly after his scintillating victory in Monte Carlo last month.
And with that mentality, it is perhaps unsurprising that he came through his Matchroom debut in such a devastating fashion.
At the same time, though, Teremoana Jnr is just one of an exciting crop of fighters emerging from Australia, with the region now hosting some of the sport’s most revered champions and promising youngsters.
“We’ve got a really strong stable in Australia,” Teremoana Jnr said. “We’ve all got a lot of heart down there, it’s just that we haven’t been exposed to the international scene as often as we would like.
“But if you expose us to it, we will only grow to that level, and you’re starting to see it now with all these rising stars.”
