Jai Opetaia: “Zurdo Is Avoiding the Fight”

IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia has reacted to reports that WBA and WBO titleholder Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is close to a deal to face WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez.

“They’re ducking. It’s clear they don’t want to fight. If you want to get better and prove you’re the strongest, you move up level by level. But these guys see it differently. Who knows what they’re chasing.

What does this prove? What does Ramirez prove with that fight? Will it show he’s the best in the division? I don’t think so. He’s fighting someone jumping up two weight classes.

What am I supposed to say? If he wants to beat the best, he needs to fight the best. And he’s definitely not doing that.

Facing Badou Jack or the winner of Benavidez–Ramirez? Yes, of course — that’s exactly what we want. But we’re not chasing fighters — we’re chasing belts. Whoever has a belt is who we want to fight.

Ramirez is already acting arrogant because we keep calling him out, but it’s not even about him. Whether he keeps the belts or loses them — to me, he’s just another fighter. I’m not fixated on him specifically. I want to become undisputed, and he’s in my way,” Opetaia said.

Ramirez (48-1, 30 KO) and Benavidez (31-0, 25 KO) are expected to fight May 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Before that, on January 16, Zurdo may face Sweden’s Robin Safar.