The left hand that cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia connected on the chin of Ellis Zorro late in the first round knocked him out cold, ending a fight that was never competitive from the get-go.

The referee, John Latham, quickly stepped in and stopped the fight with Zorro still flat on his back, looking out of it.

The time of the stoppage was 2:57 of the round. 

“A lot of hard work goes into this. A lot of deep trenches,” said Opetaia. “Tonight, it paid off.” “You are proving that you don’t need your IBF belt. We know you don’t need a belt to be successful.

“Definitely,” said Opetaia. “I feel like being here is the right move. I feel like being part of these Riyadh seasons, and I feel like I’ve got to keep staying busy and staying on these cards, and everyone is going to want a piece of this cake. It would be stupid not to.

“It’s undeniably the new evolution of boxing. So I’m proud to be part of it.”

“That’s further down the track. I’m 28-years-old. I’ve got a couple of years in me,” said Opetaia. “I’m looking to tick a few boxes at cruiserweight. I want to get these other belts, I want to fight for more belts, and then move forward, and when that chapter comes, it comes. But at the moment, I’m focused on other things.”

“I’ve got a three-fight deal. I got two fights this season. Whenever they want me back and come back, I’m ready,” said Opetaia. “I come out of that fight uninjured, so I’m pumped and ready to go again.”