British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn believes that Jai Opetaia is the only fighter capable of beating Oleksandr Usyk.
Opetaia, who currently competes in the cruiserweight division, looks set for a move to heavyweight in the future and could be the only fighter to dethrone the great Ukrainian.
Eddie Hearn Believes Just One Man Can Beat Oleksandr Usyk
It could be argued that Oleksandr Usyk is one of the greatest fighters to ever lace up a pair of boxing gloves. Period.
Some people might say this is recency bias, but there is a genuine argument that Usyk is one of the greatest fighters to ever live. Not only that, but one of the best heavyweights of all time.
Some people even have Usyk up there with the greats such as Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Lennox Lewis. We’ll obviously never know how the Ukrainian would have fared against these names, but he is certainly in the mix as one of the greatest every heavyweights.
What makes Oleksandr Usyk, whose net worth has hit £45m, even more impressive is that he isn’t even a natural heavyweight. He conquered the cruiserweight division before chasing greatness up at heavyweight, where he also become undisputed champion on two occasions.
Some fans have argued that the 38-year-old is close to unbeatable, despite getting on in years. Usyk’s next fight is a hot topic of conversation now, with a potential showdown with Joseph Parker, Agit Kabayel or a Tyson Fury trilogy seemingly the three most likely options.
The Ukranian would likely be the favourite with boxing betting sites regardless of who he faces after his incredible run of wins. He has already beaten Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois twice, who most people would rate higher than both Kabayel and Parker.
Matchroom Boxing kingpin Eddie Hearn believes Usyk is close to unbeatable too. That being said, he has revealed the name of one fighter who he believes could the the only person in the world capable of beating the great Oleksandr Usyk.
Eddie Hearn Says Jai Opetaia Is The Only Fighter Capable Of Beating Oleksandr Usyk
The only fighter in world boxing that Eddie Hearn feels has a chance of dethroning the great Oleksandr Usyk is Jai Opetaia.
Opetaia, whose record consists of impeccable 28-0 resume, is currently the Ring Magazine and IBF World Cruiserweight Champion. He is widely regarded as the best cruiserweight in the world, and could well prove that if he beats Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez.
After the Ramirez fight, a move to heavyweight could well be on the cards for the Australian powerhouse. These sentiments have been echoed by Opetaia’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who has revealed his plans on Opetaia moving up to the glamour division after conquering the 200-pound landscape.
“I’m looking down the road, Jai is humble. He’s committed to the cruiserweight division, but for me, one of the best of all time was Usyk.
“He became undisputed, moved up, and became undisputed at heavyweight. The medium focus right now is every belt in the division and the long-term focus is to fight Usyk for the unified heavyweight world championship.
“I believe he is the only fighter who can give Usyk a real fight over the next 12-18 months,” concluded Hearn.
Hearn, whose net worth is estimated at £50m, believes that Jai Opetaia is the only fighter in world boxing who even stands a chance of beating the great Oleksandr Usyk.
Whether this fight ever happens remains to be seen, but it seems that it could be on the cards at some stage next year.
If Usyk vs Opetaia does go down, rest assured the Ukrainian would be the best UK betting sites favourite, but the undefeated Australian would certainly have backers of his own.
