“I think Jai’s been lied to,” Hearn said to Jai McAllister Boxing. “I think Jai’s dream was to become unified and undisputed and that’s been taken away from him. Not by the IBF, that’s been taken away from him by signing with Zuffa.”
Hearn’s criticism gets sharper when discussing the trade Opetaia made. He credits Mick Francis with keeping the 31-year-old active in Australia, but argues there wasn’t enough money available there for the type of fights Opetaia was taking.
“He substituted the legacy for the money, which, you know, you got to make money,” Hearn said. “But I think it’s a shame because I think Jai is a brilliant, brilliant fighter and I know what the belts meant to him and I know what unifying the division meant to him and being undisputed.”
Hearn’s argument depends on what Zuffa delivers from here. Getting paid well doesn’t prevent Opetaia from building a great career if the promotion can secure the opponents needed to do it.
His situation with WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian gives Hearn ammunition. Opetaia is lined up to face Mikaelian, but Hearn claims Don King, Mikaelian’s promoter, hasn’t agreed to the fight.
“When you sign a contract without Don King approving it, you got big trouble,” Hearn said. “It’s either going to cost you a load of money or it’s just not going to happen.”
Hearn also doubts the WBC belt will be available because Mikaelian was ordered to face David Benavidez.
Opetaia has already established himself as one of boxing’s best cruiserweights. Zuffa is paying him well. Now it has to deliver the title fights that can take him where he wanted to go.
