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Oleksandr Usyk is on the lookout for a voluntary defence of the unified heavyweight world titles and there is one world champion who was revealed that he would accept that shot ‘with both hands’.
Usyk seemed set to take on Deontay Wilder until prolonged negotiations caused ‘The Bronze Bomber’ to pull out of talks and instead agree to a showdown with Derek Chisora, with that fight set to take place on April 4.
Now, he is left deciding whether to find an alternate opponent or wait to face Wilder, should he defeat Chisora, for what will be the Ukrainian’s final voluntary defence of the titles – at least the WBC – until he is mandated to take on Germany’s Agit Kabayel.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV, IBF cruiserweight ruler Jai Opetaia said that, whilst his current focus is becoming the undisputed champion at 200lbs, he would step up to heavyweight and accept a fight against Usyk ‘with both hands’ if offered the opportunity.
“Who knows what the future holds. I’m not here to call out Usyk, I’m not like that. I never really sit here and call people out or try to disrespect anyone.
“Obviously, if that fight comes, a fight against Usyk, you take it with both hands but we are just here to focus on becoming undisputed at the moment.
“Them [Zuffa] being in talks with signing Usyk is huge. It just shows that Zuffa is heading in the right direction.”
Opetaia is scheduled to make his Zuffa Boxing debut on Sunday, March 8, where he attempts to claim the vacant and inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title against Atlanta’s Brandon Glanton. A move up to heavyweight for the 30-year-old seems inevitable one day, but Usyk – who has also been linked with a move to Dana White’s Zuffa – is much more likely to focus on the names already present in the division.
