Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis: Live round-by-round updates

Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis will serve as the co-main event of tonight's marquee boxing event in Saudi Arabia. The matchup is meaningful for both men, especially Briedis, who has faced Opetaia before in a losing effort.

Briedis has not fought since the defeat, which occurred in July 2022. With two years' worth of ring-rust and vengeance on his mind, he will have much to prove by the time they cross swords. The loss is only Briedis' second-ever, as his record sits at 28-2, with his only other loss being to headliner Oleksandr Usyk.

Opetaia, meanwhile, is undefeated at 24-0, and will hope to replicate his past success against Briedis, as both men clash over the vacant IBF cruiserweight title in a 12-round clash. Fireworks are expected, as there will be no shortage of punching power from either man, especially Briedis.

Despite previously losing to Opetaia, Briedis managed to break the Australian's jaw during their tussle. Nevertheless, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, Opetaia is a significant -650 favorite, while Briedis is a +450 underdog.

Follow Sportskeeda for Opetaia vs. Briedis round-by-round updates and play-by-play analysis of the co-main event of Ring of Fire: Fury vs. Usyk.

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Jai Opetaia vs. Mairis Briedis

Round 1:

The rematch is underway. Both men at the center, gauging each other with feints. Opetaia with a few jabs to the head, before dipping low with one to the body. Briedis responds with a right hand but misses. Opetaia is heavy on the pressure, but nothing of consequence has landed.

The Australian lands another body jab. He again rips the body with a third. Briedis lands with a stiff right straight to the head, then the body, but needs to up his activity.

Round 2:

Opetaia opens Round 2 on the front foot, his opponent keeps ceding space. Briedis tries to get some breathing room with a wild combination in the pocket, but it leads to nothing. The Australian is back on the front foot, backing his foe up to the ropes before unloading with his own combination.

As he's trailing, Briedis increases his volume. The two men start slugging out by the ropes, with Opetaia snapping his foe's head to the side. Briedis lands an illegal shot to the back of the head, but it appears accidental. The round ends with both men feinting at range.

Round 3:

Opetaia starts the round aggressive, landing, but Briedis responds in kind. Both men are feinting and pawing at range, before the Australian returns to jabbing the body. His opponent tries to do the same, but Opetaia catches him mid-dip with a hard counter, briefly stunning him.

Opetaia is more active, still on the front foot, dictating the action and backing Briedis up against the ropes. Another jab to the body for the Australian. Both men clinch, trading punches in the pocket before the referee breaks it up. The round ends with more pawing and darting at range.

Round 4:

Opetaia backs Briedis up to the ropes, both men engage in a wild exchange, but the Latvian can't stay off the ropes. They clinch up and Opetaia walks him to the ropes before the referee separates them and they reset in the center of the ring. More jabs and feints at range.

The Australian returns to the body jab and tries to swing upstairs with a right hook, but the Latvian circles out of range. Briedis ups his activity, landing more, but can't stay off the backfoot. The round ends with a brief exchange.

Round 5:

Both men feinting. Briedis tries to ward off Opetaia's pressure with a body jab. Opetaia reapplies pressure, throws a body jab of his own. The Latvian is now on the front foot, but lands nothing, before backing up as his opponent storms forward. They clinch and the referee separates them.

Opetaia with more body jabs. They clinch again, engaging in a dirty boxing exchange, with Briedis getting the better of it before they're broken up again. Opetaia is back on the front foot, misses a wild lead hook to the body. They reverse positions, with Briedis pressuring and landing an uppercut to the body.

Round 6:

The round starts with Opetaia backing Briedis up again. They get into another wild exchange, with the Australian landing the harder shots. He lands a stiff jab that sends Briedis stumbling back. They clinch, and Opetaia shoves him away, for which the referee warns him.

Opetaia's pressure has been effective throughout the entire fight. He snaps the Latvian's head back with a sharp jab. They clinch again but are separated. Briedis is getting bloodied, as he's leaking from the brow, nose and mouth. Another clinch, and the round ends with a pocket boxing exchange.

Round 7:

Both men take the center, feinting and missing power shots. Briedis backs Opetaia up and lands a hard right. The Australian responds by applying heavy pressure, as he has been for most of the fight. Clinches follow, but the referee is quick to break them up.

More clinching, with Briedis landing an illegal punch to the back of the head. Opetaia is back on the front foot, but isn't throwing as much. He lands a quick one-two, before following it up with a jab to the head and left hook to the body. He's pressuring Briedis heavily, and the round ends with another clinch.

Round 8:

Opetaia starts the round by storming forward, backing his opponent up. Briedis, however, circles back to the center, eating a jab to the body. Opetaia with more pressure and they clinch as Briedis lashes out with a hard combination. As they reset, Briedis lunges forward, missing.

They clinch again, forcing a breakage from the referee. Briedis seems to be fading and clinching more to recover. Opetaia is the sharper and more active of the two, landing quick one-twos. More clinching. Both men are back in the center. They clinch again, and the round ends with an accidental groin shot from Briedis.

Round 9:

As has been the tone of the fight, Opetaia starts with heavy pressure and feints. Briedis lands a hard right, forcing a clinch before they break for a reset. Opetaia backs him up to the ropes, stabs him with a jab to the body. They circle back to the center, and the Australian stuns his foe with a right hook.

Both men are circling around each other now, searching for angles. Briedis starts pressuring Opetaia, who counters him with a hard right to the body. He follows up with a left hook to the body moments later. Briedis comes forward, forcing another clinch, before the round ends with a short exchange.

Round 10:

Opetaia starts the round on the front foot, but Briedis quickly reverses the situation. They clinch, Briedis throws and lands to the back of the head, which draws a complaint from Opetaia. The Australian on the front foot again, landing a few jabs. They clinch again by the ropes, forcing another referee break.

Briedis is more active now, throwing combinations, before bullying Opetaia in the clinch. The Australian, however, responds with a hard uppercut-straight left, snapping his foe's head back. Both men start brawling, before the round ends with Opetaia stumbling into the clinch.

Round 11:

Briedis starts the round aggressive, landing hard shots in combinations, backing Opetaia up to the ropes. The Australian seems to have tired. His mouth is bloody, and he's on the backfoot, with Briedis applying pressure. Both men trade uppercuts in the clinch.

They start brawling, but Briedis seems to be getting the better of the exchanges. Opetaia is fatiguing, while the Latvian has found a second wind. He may have stolen the round.

Round 12:

Opetaia starts the round aggressive, but quickly finds himself on the receiving end of hard combinations from Briedis, who seems to be the fresher of the two. They clinch, forcing the referee's intervention. Another exchange happens, but no one lands. Briedis storms forward, maintaining the pace.

Briedis staying on the front foot, forcing several clinches from the Australian. Opetaia lands hard down the middle, but the Latvian bites down on his mouthpiece and forces another brawl. He lands hard to the body, swarming Opetaia to force another clinch as the round ends.

Official Decision: Jai Opetaia def. Mairis Briedis via unanimous decision after 12 rounds (117-111, 116-112, 116-112).

Jai Opetaia is the new IBF cruiserweight champion.