Jai Opetaia, the current IBF Cruiserweight Champion, will add to his resume in a title defense on the 8th of January 2025 in his home country, Australia. The 29-year-old champion’s next fight will likely be against Huseyin Cinkara ‘The Hurricane,’ an undefeated 39-year-old fighter with no losses in 22 fights, 18 of which he won by knockout. Cinkara is a German-Turkish fighter who has been professional since 2016 and recently got a mandatory spot by knocking out the opponent.
Huseyin Cinkara Could Get a Title Shot
Cinkara came through as the mandatory contender of the IBF after knocking down Armend Xhoxhaj in a two-round elimination bout in April. Xhoxhaj has only beaten former WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith. While he has some merit, plowing through the five rounds against former WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith in early 2022, whether Cinkara has faced proper competition remains questionable. He has an astonishing record of wins by knockout, but he has yet to record wins against any top-ranked fighter, and fans are skeptical of his chances against a champion like Jai Opetaia.
Jai Opetaia’s Reign as the Champion
Since winning the IBF title, Opetaia has been a force to reckon with in the Cruiserweight division. He first made a mark with a daring win over Mairis Briedis in July of this year when he knocked out the Latvian-born fighter despite having a damaged jaw. Since then, he has successfully defended his title against viable opponents such as Jordan Thompson, Ellis Zorro, and Jack Massey and has proven himself worthy. He performed well when he faced Briedis in a rematch, which boosted him to the elite strata of the division.
Eyes on a Cruiserweight Unification
While fans think that Cinkara should pose no problem for Opetaia, the real interest is the subject of unification. Opetaia’s team is keen on Gilberto Ramirez ‘Zurdo,’ the Mexican who recently conquered both the WBO and WBA Cruiserweight belts with a victory over Chris Billam-Smith in November. The Australian champion has stated that he is seeking more titles and bigger fights, which makes a fight with Ramirez an interesting prospect for fans.
And as Opetaia gears up for his next defense, the goal is still to establish dominance in the Cruiserweight division. He must deliver a dominant performance against Cinkara to solidify his standing while potentially setting up a super-fight versus Ramirez. Now that unification is looming, Opetaia can begin to carve out his niche as the rightful king of the Cruiserweight division and offer fans worldwide more exciting fights.
Conclusion
The Jai Opetaia vs. Huseyin Cinkara fight is crucial in the quest of a champion to continue his dominance in the Cruiserweight division. The fact that Cinkara is unbeaten adds more interest to the bout. However, Opetaia has more experience behind him, and he has faced some tough periods in his career that have made him a better fighter.
A convincing win on January 8 would cement his dominance and pave the way for another unification bout against Gilberto Ramirez. Opetaia has many opportunities to become a true legend during his career. He can achieve a great deal in the Cruiserweight division, where his name will definitely go down in history.
