There is plenty of talk that Jai Opetaia is keen to step up and face Deontay Wilder, and now former cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson has offered this view on the potential heavyweight clash.
Opetaia is 31 years old and has won all 31 of his fights, 24 of them by way of knockout. He is a two-time IBF cruiserweight champion but currently doesn’t hold any world titles after signing with Zuffa Boxing.
The big punching Aussie is a box-fighter who has twice beaten Mairis Briedis as well as stopping Jack Massey, Ellis Zorro and Jordan Thompson in recent years, and now has his sights set on moving up to the banner division to take on the former WBC champion and once fearsome puncher Wilder.
Wilder was last in action in April when he claimed a points victory over Derek Chisora, but has found things tough in recent years, suffering defeats to the likes of Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.
Speaking to talkSPORT Boxing, Nelson gave his view that the fight makes perfect sense.
“I love it. I think it’s a perfect fight for Opetaia. A perfect fight for him to dip his toe into the heavyweight pool because Deontay was a name. He was a dangerous man, Deontay has still got that reputation,
“He is still the one who can get people to watch, Jai Opetaia puts his punches well and could create a massive flash-style knockout if he does it right because Deontay is no longer that fighter he was, and that’s why I love it at this stage. I think it’s a great fight, I think it’s smart.”
If the fight was to happen, it could take place on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s clash with Anthony Joshua at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11th.
