Cruiserweights refuse to wait on Jai Opetaia and Gilberto Ramirez

For boxing fans who seek their thrills away from the main strip, those not satisfied by the big brand names alone, who want action, technique and fights which retain the jeopardy of one-shot knockouts, the Cruiserweight division has often been one of the sport’s best niche theatres.

As Jai Opetaia (IBF and Ring Champion) and his rival Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (WBA and WBO Champion) posture and politick their way toward a mouth-watering Unification bout, the rest of the division is beginning to jostle for position in anticipation of the outcome. For a unified title is usually the prelude to an immediate scattering of the belts.

Cruiserweight division – Glanton and Masternak headline this week

The landscape beneath Opetaia and Ramirez, who confirmed his own credentials with wins over Billam-Smith and Yuniel Dorticos, has shifted somewhat but retains a useful collection of tried and trusted sluggers.

Lawrence Okolie, who emerged in the period after Oleksandr Usyk’s move to Heavyweight, is now 2-years departed from the weight class and now campaigns at Heavyweight – if slobbering around a ring weighing 260 pounds of undefined heft – is truly a campaign. His British rival Richard Riakporhe also choosing to follow the money after a loss to Chris Billam-Smith for the WBO Cruiserweight title last summer.

In the next few days, a selection of those sluggers still in the division will be seeking to position themselves as chief among the pack. In Lagos, Nigeria, Brandon Glanton (WBC #8) rebounds from a defeat in his last fight to face Marcus Browne (IBF #10) in a 10-round fight on a card available on DAZN (Wednesday 1st October).

On Saturday from Poland, veteran brawler Mateusz Masternak (WBC #7, IBF #5, WBO #8) takes his 49-6 record into the ring with Joe Tambwe Djeko for the vacant European title.

The EBU belt is viewed favourably by the WBC and could push the 38-year-old Masternak back toward a title fight. Especially as Badou Jack, himself a veteran and the current WBC title holder following a long-sabbatical, doesn’t feature in the plans of Opetaia or Ramirez as far as public record shows.

Cruiserweight action – Rozicki, a Canadian contender emerges

Later in the month, Canadian Ryan Rozicki (WBC #2) will try to usurp the elevation of the winner of the Masternak fight when he tackles the South African Akani Phuzi for the WBC Continental Americas belt.

The rugged knockout artist will presumably be moved back toward more established contenders before a title shot is considered or could be justified. A respectable showing versus Oscar Rivas in a points defeat in 2021 arguably the best result on his resume.

By November, it is hoped the two best fighters in the division will either have fights planned or a unification announced. But Masternak, Glanton and Rozicki may have strengthened their position alongside Billam-Smith, Michael Cieslak and others in the places beneath them.