Jai Opetaia vs Brandon Glanton Tips: Back Aussie power on Zuffa debut
Jai Opetaia takes on Brandon Glanton in Las Vegas in the early hours of Monday morning in a contest which could mark a new dawn in boxing.
The duo will battle for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight championship as the undefeated Australian also makes history as the first world champion to compete under the Zuffa Boxing banner.
There is also the small matter of Opetaia’s IBF title, which could well be on the line too if the bureaucracy works out, but the Dana White-backed Zuffa venture steps into the spotlight for the first time.
Tip – Under 10.5 rounds @ 10/3
Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) has all the attributes and is a cruiserweight world champion – but the Aussie just doesn’t have the record to be elevated to that true, elite-level position.
A pair of wins over an ageing Mairis Briedis are the biggest successes on the Sydney southpaw’s card but beyond the Lativan the record is paper-thin.
Jack Massey, Huseyin Cinkara and David Nyika are the only other borderline credible names on the cruiserweight king’s record and it’s a little disappointing that the Australian hasn’t looked beyond outclassed opponents.
Opetaia could have looked at a contest with Gilberto Ramirez or David Benavidez in the past, and even a clash with Norair Mikaeljan is an upgrade on what we are getting in Las Vegas.
The 29-0 cruiserweight world champion is 1/18 to beat Glanton (21-3, 18 KOs) in Nevada but the most interesting point of the fight is that it marks a first big-fight night for Zuffa Boxing.
Opetaia holds advantages in speed, technical ability and power and it’s likely to be one-way traffic in Vegas.
Glanton has never been stopped in 24 professional contests but he has been comprehensively beaten by Chris Billam-Smith and Soslan Asbarov.
There are decent victories over Aleksei Egorov and Marcus Browne on Bulletproof’s card but Billam-Smith very nearly had the Atlanta man out the ring before the final bell and the American has never met power like that of Opetaia.
The Aussie is 4/7 to win by stoppage in Las Vegas but backing under 10.5 rounds is a more attractive punt.
Opetaia has seen six of his last seven bouts end prior to that mark and Glanton doesn’t look a step up on anything that has gone before.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change