IBF champion Jai Opetaia has been considered as a cruiserweight bogeyman ever since he first got his hands on the world title, but Eddie Hearn believes that he has an upcoming 200lber that could defeat the Aussie, despite just five professional fights to his name.
Opetaia has twice beaten Mairis Briedis to become a two-time champion but whilst the Sydney-born southpaw has been chasing unifications, his fellow titleholders in the division have been unwilling to face him.
Instead, the 30-year-old has been made to fight lesser names during his reigns, winning by knockout in all five of his combined defences over the last three and a half years.
Although, Opetaia hopes that the upcoming clash between unified WBA and WBO champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and fan-favourite David Benavidez could see his fortunes change, opening the door to a three belt unification bout later in the year.
Yet, whilst Opetaia eyes up the winner of that matchup, Eddie Hearn told First Round TV’s Darren Barker that he wants to stage a scrap between Opetaia and 2024 Olympian Pat Brown ‘as soon as possible’, with Brown targeting a major rise up the rankings during 2026.
“Pat’s next fight will also be announced this week, that will headlining on the first week of April.
“Listen, you know how highly I think of Pat, and I know you do too, I know everybody does. I just think this guy is an absolute monster, I want to get him in with Jai Opetaia ASAP.
“I know he needs another two, three, four fights but we can do that quickly. Do you honestly see those [elite] guys standing up to him? I know that Jai is another level but he has got a granite chin, he has got a great IQ and he hits so hard.
“I want to get Pat into a mandatory position for a world title by the end of the year.”
Brown is set to compete on a card at Planet Ice in Altrincham on Friday, April 3, whilst Opetaia has agreed to take on Brandon Glanton on Sunday, March 8, in Las Vegas.
