Briedis Loses Rematch to Opetaia
Former Cruiserweight Champion Falls Short
By [Author's Name]
Riga, Latvia - Mairis Briedis, the former World Boxing Council (WBC) cruiserweight champion, lost his rematch against Jai Opetaia on Saturday night in a closely contested bout. The fight was held at the Arena Riga in Latvia.
Opetaia, who won the first fight between the two fighters in July 2022, started the rematch strongly and controlled the pace of the fight from the opening bell. Briedis, known for his power, struggled to find his rhythm and land clean shots on his opponent.
As the fight progressed, Opetaia continued to outbox Briedis, using his superior speed and footwork to avoid the Latvian's power punches. Briedis had his moments, but he was unable to land the knockout blow that he needed to turn the fight in his favor.
In the end, Opetaia was declared the winner by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 114-114. The victory extends Opetaia's undefeated record to 24-0 and solidifies his position as the new WBC cruiserweight champion.
For Briedis, the defeat is a setback in his bid to regain the WBC title. The 38-year-old Latvian is now 28-3 in his professional career and will need to regroup and reassess his options.
In a post-fight interview, Opetaia praised Briedis for his toughness and determination. He also said that he was looking forward to facing Briedis again in a trilogy fight in the future.
The rematch between Briedis and Opetaia was a highly anticipated event in the boxing world. The two fighters are both considered to be among the best cruiserweights in the world, and the fight lived up to the hype. In the end, it was Opetaia who emerged victorious, but Briedis showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
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