Opetaia & Huni Big Winners Down Under!

By: Rick Rivers

Wednesday, January 8th, Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia: In the main event of Matchroom's "Return of The Champion" event streamed live on DAZN, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia southpaw and 2012 Olympian, Jai Opetaia retained his IBF World Cruiserweight title with an all-inclusive fourth-round knockout of Gatton, Queensland, Australia replacement David "The Nice Guy" Nyika.

Opetaia, took the fight to Nyika at the opening sound, initiating several entertaining back-and-forth exchanges with the ready, willing and able late replacement.

The two-way action kept those ringside on the edge of their seats, with Opetaia's superior speed and power drawing out the best from Nyika, creating very entertaining second and third-round exchanges.

Stepping up the pressure in round four the local favorite right back at it landing a series of heavy punches opened the way for a devastating offensive surge highlighted by a well-timed uppercut dropping Nyika for a referee David Fields eight count.

Immediately identifying his foes troubles, the skilled southpaw in full ruthless overdrive put his finishing skills on display, ending the entertaining showcase with a show-stopping left hook leaving the Gatton, “Nice Guy” unconscious on the canvas at 2:17 of round four.

Opetaia calling out Sinola, Mexico’s WBO Champion, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, (47-1, 30Ko’s) advances to 26-0, 21 Ko’s as the “gallant” previously unbeaten, Nyika receiving immediate medical treatment was taken to the hospital at still very respectable, 10-1, 9Ko’s.   

In the semi-main event, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, unbeaten, Justis “JPH” Huni retained his IBF Pan Pacific and WBO Global Heavyweight straps with a man handling second round stoppage of Gauteng, South Africa’s, once beaten, Shaun “God’s Warrior” Potgieter.

In round one, Huni dominated Potgieter from the start putting on a full show of pressure, skill and power and determination ripping “God’s Warrior” up and down straying low in round one only to return right to work following brief stoppage.

Potgieter already showing signs of wear in round two “JPH” right back to the grind stepped up his shock and awe attack drilling “God’s Warrior” with an enlightening uppercut backing him to the ropes for a follow-up volley of power shots forcing referee Phil Austin to step in and call it over at 0:33 of round two. Huni in a three-bout power curve moves to 12-0, 7Ko’s as Potgieter unbeaten in his previous seven falls to 10-2, 7Ko’s.

In a highly competitive six-round pairing of unbeaten female, super lightweights, Clonmel, Ireland southpaw, Shauna Browne kept her record untarnished edging Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia’s, Taylah Gentzen with a super tight 97-92, 96-95 Browne, 95-94 Gentzen split decision win. Brown moves to 5-0, 3Ko’s as Gentzen with her first loss dips to 6-1, 3Ko’s.

In a scheduled ten rounder, Brisbane, Australia’s, 20-year-old, Max McIntyre captured the vacant IBF Youth Super Middleweight title dropping Frankfurt, Germany based Turk, Abdulselam Saman three times in round four forcing the referee to wave it over at 2:34 of the round. With his fifth straight inside the distance win McIntyre improves to 7-0, 6Ko’s. Saman with just his second loss falls to 8-2, 1Ko.

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia’s, Ben Mahoney claimed the vacant IBF Pan Pacific Super Welterweight title out maneuvering, out boxing and out pointing Da Lian, China’s, sub-par Fan Zhang with an impressive ten round shutout, 100-90 times three unanimous decision win. Mahoney improves to 15-0-1, 8Ko’s as Zhang 2-3 since 23 drops to 8-3-1, 5Ko’s.

In a mild upset, Zhengzhou, China, featherweight, Runqi “Fists of Fury” Zhou stripped Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia’s, Tony Ingram of his “almighty zero” with a competitive eight round 77-75, 78-74 unanimous decision win. Zhou building off consecutive 2024 wins moves to 9-21, 3Ko’s as Ingram suffering his first defeat slips to 6-1, 3ko’s.

In a special, six round heavy weight event, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 2024 Olympian, Teremoana Jr. ran his knockout streak to six powering past Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany’s, over matched, out gunned Osasu Otobo in one round.

Teremoana all in from the opening sound stepped straight to Otobo setting up a crashing left hook to the temple with a right uppercut dropping the all but done German to a knee where referee called it over at 0:47 of the opening frame. Teremoana Jr. pushes his way to 6-0, 6Ko’s as Otobo stopped in two of his last three outings dips to 11-2-1, 5Ko’s.

In an all Queensland, Australia four round light heavyweight preliminary bout Brisbane’s, Billy McAllister stayed unbeaten with an authoritative second-round technical knockout of Gold Coast’s, Jordan Towns. McAllister the aggressor from the start flooring the gunned Towns twice in round two convincing his corner they had seen enough throwing in the towel at 2:31 of round two. McAllister stays perfect at 3-0, 3Ko’s while Towns back in the red falls to 2-3, 1Ko.

In an evenly matched four-round pairing of Queensland middleweights, Ipswich low handed southpaw, Albert “Baby Yod” Tua took control of the center of the ring early only to find himself on the canvas twice in round three compliments of Brisbane’s, slick boxing Kodi Shallali heavy rights in round three, holding off Tua’s last round push for a closely scored 37-37, 37-37, 38-37 Tua majority draw. Both fighters return to the drawing board at 1-1-1.         

In a pairing of Gold Coast in Queensland pro-debuting super featherweights, Jag Guthmann-Chester floored Jai Williams in round two enroute to a firm 30-26 times three unanimous decision. Guthmann-Chester kicks off at 1-0 while Williams heads back to the gym at 0-1.