Eddie Hearn targets Jai Opetaia fight for Pat Brown next year

Eddie Hearn wants Pat Brown to face Jai Opetaia next year and believes the British champion has the punching power to stop him.

Eddie Hearn wants Pat Brown to fight Jai Opetaia next year, with Boxing News reporting that the promoter believes Brown can hand his former fighter a first defeat.

Brown won the British cruiserweight title on Saturday night in just his seventh professional contest. Hearn said he already believes Brown could beat Opetaia, although he is not pursuing an immediate meeting.

Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Hearn questioned how Opetaia would handle Brown’s power: “Jai is a great fighter, he gets hurt a lot by small punchers. Mikaelian is not a big puncher and he hurt him repeatedly in that fight.”

Hearn also made his personal interest in the contest clear: “Because of what has been happening with me and Jai, I would love to see Pat go in there and dismantle him, if I am being honest with you.”

Opetaia has beaten Brandon Glanton and Noel Mikaelian in his two appearances in 2026, extending his unbeaten professional record to 31 fights. He remains the lineal cruiserweight champion after being stripped of his IBF title for a second time shortly after announcing his move to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.