IBF champ Jai Opetaia gives Claudio Squeo no chance. After five one-sided rounds, it’s over – the path to the unification fight is clear.
Even before the first bell rang, it was clear that this duel was not a real endurance test. It is a compulsory task for Jai Opetaia – nothing more. His challenger Claudio Squeo has an unbeaten record – 17 fights, 17 wins. But if you take a closer look, you will quickly see that his opponents so far have tended to be second best. Moreover, the Italian has never boxed outside his own country. He owed his world championship fight to a second-class IBF title – in sporting terms, he was not ready for the world’s top level. And that was clearly evident in the ring.
Opetaia started calmly, watched his opponent and countered precisely. Squeo tried to put the pressure on and occasionally got through, especially in round three. But the champion was not impressed. He clearly dominated the action from the fourth round onwards. A powerful body kick forced Squeo to his knees. In round five, a right hook ended the fight for good – the Italian remained seated and the referee counted him out.
“I just wanted to get this over with quickly,” said Opetaia after the fight. His focus has long been on bigger tasks. His preferred opponent is Gilberto Ramirez, who currently holds the WBC and WBA titles. Should the Mexican win his upcoming fight against Yuniel Dorticos, a unification fight would be possible. One thing is clear: Opetaia is now too good for mandatory victories like the one against Squeo. He wants the really big names.
Text by Robin Josten