Promoter Kalle Sauerland promised surprises for Mairis Breidis vs. Jai Opetaia’s title fight.
The pair’s rematch takes place on the undercard to Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, live on May 18 on DAZN PPV, where they clash for the IBF cruiserweight title.
Opetaia claimed the title back in the first match-up, in July 2022, but had to vacate the belt before now getting the chance to win it back.
Breidis’ promoter Kalle Sauerland gives his fighter a decent shot at revenge.
“I think it has a great storyline,” Sauerland told Boxingscene.com. “We are delighted to be the co-feature to such a great fight in Usyk Vs Fury, there will be big eyeballs on it, it is great for the cruiserweight division.
“Opetaia and Briedis have done it before. We know what we are getting, the ingredients are on the tin. Have a look at that first fight, go have a look at the first fight. It is the tale of the halves. Briedis can’t get to grips with him in the first half, he goes down for the first time in his professional career. He’s in all sorts of trouble. Second half, he comes back. Batters him from pillar to post and breaks every bone in his body, almost. It is a crazy fight.”
He continued: “Those who say ‘Briedis is over the hill’ and this, that and the other, well it is not the case.
“Has Briedis still got it? Well, I haven’t seen him [fight] since that fight, but in that fight remember it was the second half of the fight that he had it. There is a credible argument there as to whether he does still have it, but he had it in the second half of that fight. He could have done three more rounds, in fact Opetaia couldn’t have done three more rounds, he was out cold on his shoulder.
“It’s exciting. I’ve seen some clips of him [Briedis] in the gym, and we got some surprises for you Jai. He looks fantastic. You’ve been around the Briedis camps in the past, they take any fight [seriously]. Even if, unfortunately, it is a 10-round keep-busy fight, they will train meticulously. So I think with this postponement with those Eastern training styles, I think it will create the perfect camp.”
Live on DAZN: Watch William Zepeda vs. Maxi Hughes on March 16