The Saudis Want To Make Bivol vs Opetaia, Clash Of Division #1’s
- Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia Recorded Wins On Saturday’s Huge Day Of Reckoning Card
- Both Undefeated Champions Are Expected To Return To Saudi Arabia For Fights In 2024
- Turki Al-Sheikh, The Main Man In Saudi Boxing, Wants To Make A Bivol vs Opetaia Fight
Jai Opetaia scored a late entry into the knockout of the year candidates for 2023 as he dispatched another unbeaten Brit, Ellis Zorro, inside the opening stanza after pummelling Jordan Thompson in four rounds in September.
Later in the night, P4P star Dmitry Bivol added the IBO strap to his WBA light heavyweight title with a twelve-round 120-107 shutout win over Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur.
Both Opetaia and Bivol are considered the number one fighters in their respective divisions and Turki Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment, wants to match them against each other.
Bivol vs Opetaia In Talks For Saudi Showdown
“Turki Alalshikh asked me ‘Let’s make (the) fight against Opetaia’, Bivol told Boxing King Media, “To be honest, I told him I want to do everything in my weight division and then..maybe I will move up. I’m focusing on my weight division.”
Bivol is targeting the Jan 13 Artur Beterbiev-Callum Smith winner for the Undisputed light heavyweight championship.
However, Riydah Season ends in March so Bivol and Beterbiev/Smith might have to wait until at least October for their unification fight.
In the meantime, if Bivol wants to fight again instead of sitting out for ten months, a fight with Opetaia could make sense.
The Aussie has a three-fight deal with the Saudis, in conjunction with Matchroom Boxing and Tasman Fighters, with his return expected for March and for him to fight again in October-December in Saudi Arabia.
Opetaia mentioned in the week that he would be open to the fight and expressed his admiration for Bivol.
Images: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing