- Jai Opetaia achieved another victory to retain his title in Saudi Arabia
- Jack Massey’s team threw in the towel in the sixth round of their competition
- Opetaia will look to face the winner of the Chris Billiam-Smith fight
Jack Massey was hoping for a fairytale night in Saudi Arabia, but Jai Opetaia shattered those dreams with a stunning performance that forced the Briton’s coach to throw in the towel.
From the beginning, Opetaia took control, dominating the center of the ring and putting pressure on Massey, who gave up too much ground. Although Massey managed to land a solid right hand to the body, he offered little to trouble the champion in the first.
In the second round, Opetaia’s powerful right hook quickly put Massey on the defensive, forcing him into a corner. Opetaia’s footwork was precise, keeping him out of reach as Massey attempted body shots but struggled to connect.
Massey showed more fight in the third round, landing a strong right hand and throwing more punches than before. He followed up with a combination of bodies, trying to frustrate Opetaia, but the champion remained unmoved. Late in the round, Opetaia pinned Massey again in the corner, landing a flurry of punches before the bell rang, an impressive display for the New Zealander.
Massey entered the fourth round with renewed aggression, landing a solid right hand and finishing the round with several combinations. However, Opetaia’s movement continued to give Massey problems, allowing him to evade much of the offensive. As the round came to a close, Opetaia trapped Massey in the corner again, refusing to give him any room to breathe.
Jack Massey was hoping for a fairytale night in Saudi Arabia, but Jai Opetaia shattered those dreams with a stunning performance that forced the Briton’s coach to throw in the towel.
In the sixth round, Massey went into survival mode, throwing everything he had at Opetaia but failing to make any significant impact. Instead, he absorbed more punishment from Opetaia.
The towel was thrown from Massey’s corner to end the fight at the Kingdom Arena
In the fifth round, Opetaia reasserted control with his jab, outboxing Massey by landing nearly 40 more punches. Massey withstood the pressure well and managed to counterattack, but Opetaia’s greater pace and precision were taking their toll. Massey suffered a cut over his right eye and was injured by a powerful body shot, forcing him to clinch and survive the round.
Opetaia, relentless and refusing to give in, continued to press until the bell rang, consolidating his dominance as the fight progressed into the final rounds.
In the sixth round, Massey went into survival mode, throwing everything he had at Opetaia but failing to make any significant impact. Instead, he absorbed more punishment from the relentless champion before they threw in the towel.
Opetaia emphatically retained her title, delivering a masterclass performance. Next, he will look to face the winner of Chris Billiam-Smith vs. Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez.