Early career Opetaia was scheduled to face
Daniel Ammann for the vacant
WBC-
OPBF and Australian cruiserweight titles on 15 July 2017. He won the fight by a ninth-round technical knockout. Opetaia was next scheduled to face Frankie Lopez for the vacant IBF Youth cruiserweight title on October 21, 2017. He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout. Opetaia made his first Australian Cruiserweight title defense against Benjamin Kelleher on 17 January 2018. He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout. Opetaia fought for yet another regional title on 7 April 2018, when he was set to face Lukas Paszkowsky for the vacant
WBO Asia-Pacific cruiserweight title. He won the fight by a second-round technical knockout. Opetaia made his first WBO Asia-Pacific cruiserweight title defense against Kurtis Pegoraro on 29 June 2018. The fight was simultaneously a fight for the vacant IBF Pan-Pacific cruiserweight title. He won the fight by a second-round knockout. Opetaia fought Navosa Ioata for the vacant
WBA Oceania interim cruiserweight title on 15 May 2019, and won the fight by an eight-round technical knockout. Opetaia made his first title defense two months later, on 27 July 2019, against Nikolas Charalampous, while also fighting for the vacant WBO Global cruiserweight title. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Opetaia made the first defense of these two titles, and fought for the inaugural IBF Asia-Oceania cruiserweight title, against
Mark Flanagan on 16 November 2019. He won the fight by an eight-round technical knockout. Opetaia was scheduled to defend his IBF Asia-Oceania and WBO Global cruiserweight titles in a rematch with Benjamin Kelleher on 22 October 2020. He won the fight by a sixth-round technical knockout.
IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion Opetaia vs. Briedis Opetaia was scheduled to challenge the reigning IBF,
The Ring and lineal cruiserweight champion
Mairis Briedis on 6 April 2022. The bout was postponed on 16 February, as Briedis tested positive for
COVID-19. The bout was rescheduled for 11 May, and was expected to take place at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in
Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. The bout was once again postponed on April 8, as Opetaia suffered a rib injury, and rescheduled for 2 July. Opetaia won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 116–112, 116–112 and 115–113. Opetaia boxed smartly and used his movement in the early rounds to accumulate points. His quick combinations helped maintain an edge over Briedis, who fought mostly on the counter, attempting to land his right uppercut and fight on the inside. He did have success in the close-range exchanges but was unable to dominate the fight. During the fight, Opetaia badly broke his jaw in two places. Unable to give an interview following the match, he was instead taken directly to the hospital to undergo surgery to repair the fractures.
Opetaia vs. Thompson Opetaia was expected to face mandatory challenger
Mateusz Masternak in early 2023, but was forced to undergo left shoulder surgery on 1 February 2023. He requested a 60-day medical extension from the
IBF before entering into negotiations with Masternak, which was granted on 18 February The two camps failed to come to terms despite the extension and a pursed bid was called by the sanctioning body for July 15, 2023. Masternak withdrew from the bid a day before it was supposed to take place. The IBF removed Masternak's mandatory status the very next day and ordered Opetaia to face the No. 2 ranked cruiserweight contender
Richard Riakporhe instead. Riakporhe himself withdrew from the negotiations on 8 August 2023, shortly before a scheduled purse bid hearing. The IBF designated former champion
Mairis Briedis as the next mandatory challenger on 10 August 2023. The sanctioning body ordered the two to enter into negotiations that very same day. Opetaia's team requested an immediate purse bid in lieu of a negotiation period. The sanctioning body indefinitely suspended the purse bid hearing on 22 August. This allowed Opetaia to enter into negotiations with
Jordan Thompson for a voluntary title defense that took place at the
Wembley Arena in London, England on 30 September 2023. Opetaia defeated Thompson via fourth-round knockout, retaining his IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight titles in a dominant performance. Opetaia took control from the opening bell. He staggered Thompson with a powerful left hand in the first round. In the third, Opetaia dropped Thompson with a three-punch combination. Despite beating the referee's count, he appeared dazed. Before the fourth round, Thompson's trainer, Tony Sims, warned him that he needed to see more from him or he would be forced to stop the fight. Only 20 seconds into the round, Opetaia landed a clean left hand that staggered Thompson once more before referee Howard Foster waved the fight off. During the post-fight interviews, Opetaia told DAZN that he felt the ring setup was designed for Thompson. He said, "They put me in this small ring thinking they were going to cut me off... they underestimated [my power], and this is what happens." he then shouted, "I'm born for it, I live for it."
The Ring cruiserweight champion Opetaia vs. Zorro On 23 December 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Opetaia was expected to make the second defense of his IBF cruiserweight title against
Ellis Zorro. During the fight week's early stages, Opetaia vacated the title when the
IBF, the sanctioning body, insisted on a mandatory defense against former champion
Mairis Briedis, who was recovering from an injury. Consequently, the IBF decided not to sanction the fight against Zorro. Opetaia won the fight by knockout in the first round. He reportedly earned a $680,000 fight purse.
IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion Opetaia vs. Briedis II Opetaia was expected to face
Mairis Briedis for the vacant IBF cruiserweight championship on the undercard of
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk. The fight was initially expected to take place on 17 February 2024, at the
Kingdom Arena in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the entire event was later postponed after
Tyson Fury suffered a facial injury in training. It was re-scheduled to 18 May 2024, and took place at the same venue as was originally planned. Opetaia defeated Briedis in the rematch by unanimous decision to become a two-time world champion and two-time IBF cruiserweight champion.
Opetaia vs. Massey On 21 August 2024, it was announced that Opetaia would make his first defence of his second IBF cruiserweight title reign on 12 October on the
Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol card, at
Kingdom Arena in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His opponent was
Jack Massey (22−2, 12 KOs).This was Opetaia's third consecutive fight in Riyadh. He had been calling for a unification against
Chris Billam-Smith. Financial backer,
Turki Al-Sheikh said, “We will prepare big fights for Opetaia in the future and we will sponsor him." The IBF approved sanctioning of the bout at the request of Opetaia's team. Massey was ranked #11 by the organization. They stated that the winner must defend the IBF title against mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara by 20 January 2025. Opetaia retained his titles in a one-sided fight, stopping Massey in the sixth round. He used his southpaw style and targeted Massey's body, which was effective in breaking down his defence. Massey was unable to mount a sustained attack, and mistakes in his defence contributed to the loss. Opetaia gained control from the opening bell, landing sharp lefts. Massey responded with single right hands to the head and body. In the second round, Opetaia increased his output, targeting Massey's body but was met with a right counter from Massey. Massey suffered a cut above his left eye. He then looked frustrated as he was caught with some shots after dropping his hands. The end came in the sixth, with Massey looking fatigued. The cut worsened. His trainer, Joe Gallagher, threw in the towel after two minutes, after Massey succumbed to intense pressure, leaving referee Steve Gray no option but to stop the fight. Opetaia praised Massey, stating he "knew Jack was gonna come to fight" and that he had "nothing but respect for him and his family." Massey did not complain about his corner stopping the fight, admitting defeat. Opetaia landed more than double the punches Massey did overall. 41% of Opetaia’s landed punches targeted Massey’s body. Opetaia landed 87 of 205 total punches (42.4%), and Massey landed 41 of 143 (28.7%). Neither fighter used the jab much.
Opetaia vs. Nyika Opetaia faced
David Nyika in defense of his IBF cruiserweight title on 8 January 2025. Nyika was a late replacement for the originally scheduled opponent Huseyin Cinkara. Opetaia successfully defended his cruiserweight titles with a fourth-round knockout victory. Both fighters began the bout aggressively, exchanging powerful shots. Opetaia delivered significant punches, while Nyika attempted to apply pressure with his own attacks. In the second round, the action persisted, with Opetaia effectively landing solid blows, particularly his right hooks. Nyika also landed some punches but faced challenges with Opetaia's counterattacks. Opetaia gradually gained control and began to dictate the pace of the fight. The fourth round proved to be pivotal, as Opetaia landed a powerful uppercut that brought Nyika to the canvas. Although Nyika managed to rise, he appeared visibly shaken. Opetaia took advantage of this moment, delivering a series of punishing shots that left Nyika face-down on the canvas, prompting the referee to halt the bout. The official stoppage time was 2:17. Following the conclusion of the fight, Nyika received medical attention after remaining motionless on the canvas for several minutes, but he eventually regained consciousness. The
CompuBox stats revealed a clear performance difference between the boxers. Opetaia landed 74 punches out of 208 thrown (35.6%). In contrast, Nyika landed 44 punches from 190 thrown ( 23.2%). Opetaia expressed respect for his opponent, acknowledging the challenge he presented despite taking the fight on short notice. He anticipated a more tactical approach but was impressed by the opponent's willingness to engage in a tough, aggressive match. The fourth-round stoppage of Nyika by Opetaia was later named
BoxingScene's Knockout of the Year.
Opetaia vs. Squeo In March 2025,
Matchroom Boxing announced Opetaia would make a second consecutive defence in Australia against 34-year-old Italian boxer Claudio Squeo (17–0, 9 KOs), with the bout originally set to take place on 13 May at the
Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach. The bout was later pushed back to 8 June. This was Squeo's first bout outside of his native Italy. Promoter
Eddie Hearn explained that he wanted to keep Opetaia busy in 2025 whilst waiting on potential unification fights. Opetaia disregarded his opponent, stating, "He’s a little bomber, he’s a 5ft 10in, comes forward. He’s nothing special, nothing I ain’t seen before. It’s another day in the office." Opetaia won by knockout in the fifth round, breaking Squeo's jaw. Following the fight, Opetaia called out WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion
Gilberto Ramirez, saying "I'm chasing this unification fight and it's frustrating. Gilberto Ramirez, next fight, let's get it on. I'm chasing the belts. The fight is easy to be made. Let's do it."
Opetaia vs. Cinkara On 19 August 2025, the IBF issued a directive for Opetaia to conduct a mandatory defense against Huseyin Cinkara (23–0, 19 KOs). The fight was initially planned for January 2025; however, Cinkara had to withdraw less than four weeks prior to the event due to
torn ligaments sustained during training. Within a few days, talks began of Opetaia moving up to heavyweight to be
Derek Chisora's 50th fight.
Eddie Hearn, his promoter, expressed that competing against lower-tier opponents had become monotonous. He emphasized that if a title unification did not occur in the near future, Opetaia may consider transitioning out of the division. Opetaia promptly dismissed any rumours, stating that he was concentrating on unifying the cruiserweight division. The fight was officially scheduled for 6 December 2025, at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Australia. This fight will be Opetaia's third fight of the year and his third consecutive appearance at his hometown venue. Before the fight, there was a perception that Opetaia was involved in less competitive matchups while other cruiserweight titleholders addressed their circumstances. Opetaia expressed a desire to unify with the other champions in 2026. He mentioned that each fight was significant in his pursuit of becoming the undisputed champion. Additionally, he indicated interest in a potential future fight against light heavyweight champion
David Benavidez. Opetaia stated that he did not want to expedite his career for financial reasons or succumbing to outside pressures. It was observed that his recent opponents had lacked star power. The fight was set to be broadcast on
Stan, a pay-per-view platform. Tasman Fighters entered into a 12-month contract with the streaming service. There were concerns that this might restrict future matchups, especially with Gilberto Ramirez, who was exclusively fighting on DAZN. Opetaia scored a devastating 8th-round knockout over Cinkara to retain his world titles, in what was described as a tough and competitive fight. Despite being the heavy favourite, Opetaia faced some adversity early in the fight, particularly in the second round when a right-hand counter from Cinkara rocked him and caused visible trouble. Cinkara's accurate counter-punching and jabs also caused damage around Opetaia's eye, making the early rounds highly competitive. By the sixth round, Cinkara's speed and accuracy began to fade, due to fatigue. Opetaia capitalized on Cinkara's exhaustion, pinning him to the ropes repeatedly and in the eighth round, Opetaia landed a powerful left-hand counter that floored Cinkara, who remained motionless for several minutes and required immediate medical attention. The fight was called off. After the fight, Opetaia was visibly frustrated, citing personal distractions and admitting he felt off his peak performance despite the victory. He said, "I feel like I just fought like s---, to be honest. You get these nights. We go back to the drawing board. I'm very disappointed in myself, I feel like I've let some people down with that performance. I made a lot of mistakes. I'm so pissed off." Cinkara was taken to hospital, where he was required to stay for a minimum of two days following a serious injury sustained in the fight. He was released on the following Tuesday. The injuries included a
brain contusion, a small
brain bleed, and a fractured C1 vertebra, which is known as a
Jefferson fracture and can pose life-threatening risks or lead to
paralysis. Despite suffering a swollen right eye, Opetaia did not sustain any serious injuries and was cleared by doctors to resume normal activities.
Zuffa Boxing On 17 January 2026,
Zuffa Boxing, a new promotional firm, announced that they had agreed a deal to sign Opetaia, a move that surprised many in boxing. The deal was described as pivotal for Zuffa Boxing, bringing in a credible and high-profile champion on board. upon the news beoing reported, Opetaia posted: “Pumped for the future. Exciting times. Let’s get these big fights over the line. Unification [and] undisputed soon. Let’s go.” There were initial concerns around Zuffa Boxing not recognizing the already established sanctioning bodies. Opetaia and his team were very vocal about unifying and becoming the undisputed champion at cruiserweight. Opetaia’s manager, Mick Francis, confirmed that the unification of titles remained a key priority for Opetaia and clarified that the contract allowed Opetaia to fight for and unify the recognized titles, which aligned with his goals.
Opetaia vs. Glanton On 10 February 2026, Zuffa Boxing announced that Opetaia would fight Brandon Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title and also defend his
Ring magazine cruiserweight title in the main event of
Zuffa Boxing 04 at the
Meta Apex in
Las Vegas, Nevada, on 8 March 2026. Opetaia described Glanton as tough and gritty, calling it a dangerous fight. On 6 March, during the final press conference, it was confirmed after much debate that the IBF title would be on the line. Hours later, the IBF refused to sanction the bout, which meant if the fight went ahead, the title would become vacant. A sanctioning fee of $73,000 was reportedly paid to the IBF to cover the fees, however this was later returned on 7 March. Opetaia defeated Glanton via unanimous decision, winning all 12 rounds on the judges’ scorecards to claim the inaugural
Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight championship. Opetaia dominated throughout the bout, using his superior footwork, accuracy, and control against Glanton, who came in with a reputation as a persistent, come-forward, durable fighter. Despite being one-sided, the fight saw multiple point deductions and stern referee warnings, which caused some interruptions in the action. Glanton had points deducted twice: once for holding in the sixth round and once for low blows in the eighth. In the eleventh round, Opetaia lost a point for holding. The scorecards read 119-106 across all three judges. Over the 12 rounds, Opetaia landed 250 punches compared to the 118 landed by Glanton. Opetaia was reportedly paid $1.5 million and Glanton was paid a $200,000 purse. On 24 March, the IBF once again stripped Opetaia of its cruiserweight title. The decision came due to the bout also involving the newly created Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title, which the IBF did not recognize. The IBF’s rules (Rule 5.H) state that if a champion fights in an unsanctioned contest, even if victorious, the title must be declared vacant. On 19 March, the IBF board voted to vacate Opetaia’s title. Opetaia's attorney, Jordan T. Smith, alleged a conspiracy among the main sanctioning bodies and promoters to punish Opetaia for associating with Zuffa Boxing. The letter included names such as Eddie Hearn, citing public statements and insider communications. ==Professional boxing record==