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Opetaia Defends IBF & Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World
Titles Against Thompson On September 30
Jai Opetaia will make the first defence of his IBF and Ring
Magazine Cruiserweight World Titles against Jordan Thompson
on a huge night of World Championship boxing at the OVO
Arena Wembley on Saturday September 30 that also sees IBF
Super-Bantamweight ruler Ellie Scotney make the maiden
defence of her World Title against Laura Soledad Griffa,
live worldwide on DAZN (excluding Australia and New
Zealand).
Opetaia (22-0 17 KOs) wrestled the IBF and Ring Magazine
World Cruiserweight Titles away from Mairis Briedis on home
turf with an outstanding display in Queensland, Australia in
July 2022, outboxing the Latvian with a show of skill mixed
with guts after breaking his jaw in both the second and
final rounds.
The 28-year-old extended his unbeaten slate to 22 fights in
the paid ranks on that famous night, landing World Title
honours at the first attempt in a professional career that
began in August 2015 after the imposing southpaw said
goodbye to a glittering amateur stint that yielded gold in
the World Junior Championships in 2011 and saw him become
the youngest ever Australian Olympian fighter when he
represented his country in at the 2012 Games in London.
He returns to London next month, putting his red and gold
hardware on the line against Manchester’s undefeated
contender Thompson (15-0, 12 KOs), who heads into his first
shot at world honours on the back of a dominating
sixth-round TKO win over Swindon’s Luke Watkins at the
Cardiff International Arena back in Cardiff.
The 6' 7" powerhouse, who is trained by Tony Sims at the
Matchroom Boxing Elite Gym in Essex, has won all five of his
fights under the Matchroom Boxing banner since putting pen
to paper on a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn
in June 2021, picking up the IBF European Title but
outpointing Vasil Ducar at the Sheffield Arena in August
2022.
Catford’s 122lbs queen Scotney (7-0) returns to the arena
where she was crowned IBF World Champion in June,
comfortably outpointing Australia’s former champion Cherneka
Johnson on the undercard of Sunny Edwards’ shutout points
win over Andres Campos.
Argentina’s Griffa (20-8, 1 KO) gets her second shot at the
IBF Super-Bantamweight after falling short in her challenge
against Marcela Eliana Acuna in August 2018. ‘La Joya’, who
fights out of Pehuajo in Buenos Aires, has also challenged
for the IBO Super-Bantamweight and Featherweight Titles and
has won both of her fights in 2023.
Dangerous Gravesend Cruiserweight Cheavon Clarke (6-0, 5
KOs) gets his first title shot – taking on former Chris
Billam-Smith and Jordan Thompson opponent Vasil Ducar
(14-6-2, 10 KOs) for the vacant IBF International Title and
Warrington’s Rhiannon Dixon (8-0, 1 KO) meets Norway’s World
Title challenger Katherina Thanderz (16-1, 2 KOs) for the
vacant EBU European Lightweight crown.
Billericay Middleweight George Liddard (4-0, 3 KOs) and
Eltham Flyweight Maiseyrose Courtney (4-0) have a quick
turnaround after picking up wins on the Joshua vs. Helenius
undercard at The O2 in London earlier this month, Watford
Super-Flyweight Shannon Ryan (5-0) fights for the sixth time
as a pro and Tony Sims-trained Middleweight Jimmy Sains
makes his professional debut.
“I have been waiting too long for someone to challenge me
and now we finally have a fight,” said Opetaia. “Thank you
Jordan for stepping up but I hope you are ready!”
"Opetaia is the recognised number one in the division and
the best guy out there and that’s why he’s the one I want,"
said Thompson. "This is my time now and the world will see
that on September 30th. I ain’t never been one to just take
part, I’m a winner, I’m going to win.
“Winning a World Title is every fighter's dream but now I
want more,” said Scotney. “I want to prove myself the best
Super-Bantamweight in the world, but a true champion also
has to be willing to defend her title. I wanted to stay
active and getting to defend the belt in the same venue I
was crowned World Champion gives me the ideal opportunity to
show that there are levels to this sport On September 30 I
will show just that.”
“I am very excited to be fighting for the World Title for a
second time,” said Griffa. “Ellie Scotney is a very good and
skilful boxer, but she doesn’t have the heart and toughness
that I do. I am a true warrior and will bring war to London
September. I will break her down bring the World Title back
home to Argentina.”
“A huge World Title double-header at the OVO Arena Wembley
on September 30 topped by IBF Cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia
defending his crown against Manchester's Jordan Thompson and
Catford's Ellie Scotney putting her IBF Super-Bantamweight
crown on the line against Laura Soledad Griffa," said
Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Jai’s win over
Briedis was an historic moment for Australian boxing and
solidified him as the number one in the Cruiserweight
division. Jordan is showing huge courage by bypassing the
domestic scene and jumping in with the best in his division
for a shot at glory - he should get massive credit for
grabbing this opportunity with both hands when others have
avoided it.
"Ellie has plans on unifying the Super-Bantamweight division
and becoming a multi-weight World Champion but first she
must get her first World Title defence under her belt.
There's plenty more title action on the undercard as
Cruiserweight powerhouse Chev Clarke goes for the IBF
International Title against the tricky Vasil Ducar and
Anthony Crolla's charge Rhiannon Dixon meets former Terri
Harper opponent Katherina Thanderz for the EBU European
Lightweight Title. Watch all of the action live worldwide on
DAZN."
"It’s great to have Jai debut on DAZN on September 30 in
London," said Alfie Sharman VP, DAZN. "Jai is one of the
best in the division and with Jordan being tipped for a big
future in the sport, this is going to be a cracker. Watch it
live and exclusive on DAZN."
Ticket information will be announced soon.
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