With Chris Billam-Smith, Richard Riakporhe and Lawrence Okolie all chasing IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia in recent times, it’s the unheralded Jordan Thompson that gets the first shot at the Australian’s title at Wembley Arena this Saturday evening.
DAZN televise Opetaia vs Thompson live, and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing promote.
It seems a lifetime ago that Sydney southpaw Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs) won the belt, and he turned in a superb performance to do so.
The 28-year-old had home advantage, but a massive task on his hands against the excellent Mairis Briedis last July, but he boxed out of his skin, and was always one step ahead of the Latvian to become new champion with a clear points win.
With several boxers pricing themselves out of a meeting with him, it’s London-based Thompson (15-0, 12 KOs) that gets the dream chance to become world champion.
‘Troublesome’ has never been scheduled past ten rounds, and has only completed that distance once, dropped in the last round in a points win against Vasil Ducar last August.
The 30-year-old’s last outing saw him stop Luke Watkins in six to retain his IBF European title, that has given him the sufficient ranking to challenge the champion.
Prediction: This opportunity looks to have come a shade early for Thompson, and I favour Opetaia to retain for the first time with a stoppage win just after the halfway mark.
Scotney battles Griffa
Another IBF title is at stake on the undercard, and the talented Ellie Scotney (7-0) can turn in another dominant performance in retaining her title for the first time against Argentina’s Laura Soledad Griffa (20-8, 1 KO).
Remaining Undercard
Cheavon Clarke (6-0, 5 KOs) continues his education, and he may need all ten rounds to take the vacant IBF International cruiserweight title against the aforementioned Vasil Ducar (14-6-2, 10 KOs).
Rhiannon Dixon (8-0, 1 KO) can become the new European lightweight champion, but will surely need the distance to get past Katharina Thanderz (16-1, 2 KOs), who has only previously lost to Terri Harper.
The sole eight rounder is at super flyweight, where Shannon Ryan (5-0) should come through on the cards against Xenia Jorneac (11-6, 3 KOs).
In six rounders, Maisey Rose Courtney (4-0) can outscore Martina Bernile (5-2-1, 1 KO) at flyweight, and George Liddard (4-0, 3 KOs) can stop Peter Kramer (14-8-3, 10 KOs) at middleweight.
The four rounders come at middleweight, where Jimmy Sains can win his debut on points against Poland’s Bartlomiej Stryczek (1-0), and at lightweight, where Ibraheem Sulaimaan (1-0, 1 KO) can do the same against Joshua Ocampo (8-15-5, 6 KOs).
