Perfect Opetaia’s title unification bid back on trackJoanna GuelasAAPThu, 2 October 2025 10:12AM
Jai Opetaia will finally face off against Huseyin Cinkara to defend his IBF cruiserweight title after landing a rescheduled showdown on the Gold Coast.
Australia’s pound-for-pound king Opetaia (28-0) will take a big step towards unifying his IBF belt if he defeats mandatory challenger Cinkara at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on December 6.
The pair were set to face off in January before Cinkara (23-0) withdrew with an ankle injury, forcing David Nyika to take the fight on three weeks’ notice.
Opetaia, also on the Gold Coast, knocked out New Zealander Nyika in the fourth round.
The 30-year-old’s December bout against German Cinkara will be the fourth of his title defence.
Opetaia will line up a fight in Saudi Arabia against Sweden’s WBC titleholder Badou Jack in January next year if he defeats Cinkara.
Cinkara, 40, made his return with a first-round TKO win against American boxer Juan Diaz in April.
Justis Huni will return to the ring as part of the undercard, looking to bounce back from his world title defeat to Fabio Wardley last June.
Fellow Gold Coast product Ben Mahoney will fight for the IBF Pan Pacific Super Welterweight title, with rising star Max McIntyre and light-heavyweight contender Connor Wallace also on the card.
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