Opetaya is about to start sparring

Jai Opetaya (22-0, 17 KOs) said in an interview with sportingnews.com that this weekend he will have his first sparring in months. Thus, the Australian will begin preparations for the fight with Mateusz Masternak (47-5, 31 KOs) as part of the mandatory defense of the IBF world heavyweight title.

“We want to make sure I'm in shape when it's time to fight. Now I will fight Masternak, who is my mandatory challenger. He is a strong opponent, a good boxer, and I am looking forward to this fight,” Opetaya said.

“I don’t underestimate him, but I want to beat him and then win more championship belts. Since I am a champion, the best athletes can no longer avoid me, although I think that many still underestimate me.

According to sportingnews.com, the Opetai-Masternak fight for the IBF world title may take place in late April or early May. The IBF recently announced that it would allow an Australian who underwent shoulder surgery in January to take extra time to recover. The duel with the Pole will be officially scheduled for April 1. However, representatives of the boxers may agree on the organization of the fight earlier.