Return of the king: Opetaia books Aussie title defence

Jai Opetaia will celebrate his hard-earned status as Australia's pound-for-pound king in a homecoming Gold Coast world title defence.

The IBF and the Ring cruiserweight world champion (26-0) will make a mandatory defence of his belts against unbeaten German-born, Turkey-based Huseyin Cinkara (22-0).

Their January 8 bout at the Gold Coast Convention Centre is set to be confirmed on Friday, the card also likely to include Opetaia's Tasman Fighters stablemates Justis Huni and Conor Wallace.

Opetaia's last fight in Australia was at that same venue in July 2022, the underdog surprising Latvian champion Mairis Briedis in a brutal upset despite breaking his jaw on two separate occasions.

Injury and boxing politics has stalled the 29-year-old juggernaut's march though, Opetaia out of action for more than a year before fighting four times since last September.

That included a rematch with Briedis, Opetaia's only true challenge as he otherwise plundered Englishmen Jordan Thompson, Ellis Zoro and Jack Massey and made Saudi Arabia his fighting home away from home.

And while his reputation as an intimidating, no-fuss knockout merchant exploded in Europe as part of Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing contingent, he has continued to return to his Gold Coast base relatively unknown.

That should change now after Opetaia's team fought hard to secure the defence against the capable German veteran on home soil, sacrificing a bigger pay day to avoid a trip to enemy territory.

He'll return to the Gold Coast arena as arguably the country's top boxing dog given Tim Tszyu's recent back-to-back losses.

Keen to unify the division before a likely move to heavyweight, London 2012 Olympian Opetaia could then be thrust into a battle with Gilberto Ramirez.

The Mexican moved to 47-1 with a unanimous points victory over Chris Billam-Smith in Riyadh on Sunday, adding the Brit's WBO title to his WBA crown and then calling out Opetaia.

A former WBO super middleweight champion, Ramirez made five defences of his belt before moving up to light heavyweight and suffering his only professional defeat to then-champion Dmitry Bivol for his WBA title.