Overview
- Opetaia, unbeaten at 27-0 with 21 knockouts, will make his third IBF title defense against Claudio Squeo in a 12-round bout on June 8 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre
- The fight will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN and marks Opetaia’s return to Broadbeach after recent cards in Riyadh and London
- Opetaia has said he is focusing on collecting all cruiserweight belts before considering a step up to heavyweight
- Former cruiserweight champions such as Jean-Marc Mormeck, Marco Huck and Yoan Pablo Hernández struggled when moving into the heavyweight ranks
- Australia has a longstanding boxing heritage, from Jack Johnson’s 1908 title victory over Tommy Burns to Danny Green’s 2009 one-round knockout of Roy Jones Jr