Opetaia receives IBF exemption to face Massey, must fight Cinkara within 90 days

Huseyin Cinkara stopped Armend Xhoxhaj in April

Jai Opetaia won’t have to drop his IBF cruiserweight title to compete on Riyadh Season again, but he’ll be on the clock afterwards. The IBF has granted him an exception to meet Jack Massey on October 12th with the caveat that he then fight mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara by January 20th.

German-born Turk Cinkara (22-0, 18 KO) is very much your prototypical IBF mandatory. The 39-year-old’s best win came when he handed Armend Xhoxhaj the fourth knockout loss of his career this past April, which I wouldn’t exactly call proper preparation for the sport’s top cruiserweight.

Opetaia (25-0, 19 KO) figures to have more trouble with Massey (22-2, 12 KO) who gave a great account of himself against Joseph Parker last year and turned in a gutsy effort to beat Isaac Chamberlain in June. At least the quick deadline means that Cinkara won’t take up too much of Opetaia’s career.