- Was set to take on Huseyin Cinkara on the Gold Coast
- Is now facing a mad scramble to find new opponent
- Manager has been on the phone until small hours of the morning
The manager of Australian cruiserweight boxing sensation Jai Opetaia is on an urgent search for a new opponent for his IBF world title defence.
In a dramatic prelude to the January 8 showdown on the Gold Coast, the IBF’s No.1-ranked German star Huseyin Cinkara has broken his ankle and will not be able to fight Opetaia.
Russia’s Umar Salamov, David Nyika from New Zealand, Brandon Glanton (US), Robin Safar (Sweden) and Albania’s Juergen Uldedaj were all options Opetaia’s manager Michael Francis was in dialogue with on Saturday.
‘I’m in the process of working with the IBF and going through the top 15 to find Jai an opponent,’ Francis told AAP.
‘We are three and a half weeks out and we need a new opponent because last night I got a missed call from Cinkara’s manager.
‘He sent me a message to call him urgently because he said ‘there’s been a disaster’. Straight away my heart sunk.
Australian cruiserweight boxing champion Jai Opetaia is looking for a new opponent for world title defence
German star Huseyin Cinkara (left) has broken his ankle and has been ruled out of the fight
‘I rang him back and he said Cinkara had broken his ankle and will be out for three months before he can train again. He even sent me the doctor’s certificate.’
Francis was on the phone until 3am on Saturday to the managers of the top 15 cruiserweights in the world.
‘IBF rules state that you have to work from the top down,’ Francis said.
‘There are boxers we can’t get visas for in time, so we are frantically working to get an opponent. I am confident we will have one. The event will still go ahead because there are five guys in the top 15 who have put their hand up and want the opportunity.’
Francis now must work with the IBF to determine who that will be.
Opetaia will also defend his Ring Magazine world title when he fights his yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The 29-year-old is undefeated in 26 fights, 20 of them won by knockouts.
Francis said Opetaia was in camp on the Gold Coast ahead of his world title defence and started sparring on Saturday.
‘I told Jai about his opponent’s unfortunate injury and he took it in his stride. He will prepare the same way regardless,’ he said.
