Jai Opetaia continues to impress, title or no title.
The former Australian cruiserweight belt holder stopped Ellis Zorro with a giant left hand to the jaw at 2:56 of the first round of a scheduled 12-round fight on the undercard between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua on Saturday in Saudi Saudi.
Jai Opetaia knocks out Ellis Zorro in the first round!! ️🥊😳 pic.twitter.com/gzZn5xpvSs
– IFN (@IfnBoxing) December 23, 2023
Zorro (17-1, 7 KOs) landed with his head on the bottom rope, where he remained until the referee called off the fight.
The fighters were engaged in an uneventful first round (no significant blows had landed) when Opetaia’s big blow changed everything.
Opetaia, arguably the best 200-pound fighter, announced during fight week that he had vacated his IBF title because the organization refused to sanction the fight after ordering him to face Mairis Briedis in a rematch.
Opetaia beat Briedis to win his belt in July of last year.
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