Meet Australia’s toughest lore: scaffolding Faiga Opelu does road races on his smoke breaks and had to take a sick day to fight Joseph Parker in the biggest fight of his life.
- Boxer Faiga Opelu works full time as a scaffolder
- Opelu will take a sick day to fight Joseph Parker
- Opelu says it always gets the job done
On Wednesday night, Brisbane star Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu will step into the ring to take on former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena in the biggest fight of his life.
Opelu, 29, is a father of four who works full time as a scaffolder and has decided to take a ‘sickie’ for his showdown with Parker.
Parker, who has fought the best heavyweights in the world and is the training partner of champion Tyson Fury, intends to have his way with Opelu, but the Queenslander is not to be taken lightly.
Opelu, who races away from home during his break from smoko, produced an upset victory against his last opponent, the undefeated Kiwi Hemi Ahio, on the undercard of the rematch between George Kambosos and Devin Haney last October.
“I do what I do because it’s what I need to do to be great,” Opelu told News Corp.
Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu (pictured right) will take on former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena in the biggest fight of his life.
“I go to work, then I go to training and then I go back to work… sometimes in reverse order.”
Unbelievably, Opelu worked an eight-hour shift at a job site the same day he was fighting for the Australian title against Justis Huni.
“Whatever I have to do, I always get the job done,” Opelu said.
I am of a different race.
The blue-collared pug says a win against Parker, Australasia’s most successful heavyweight, would be the defining moment of his career thus far.
“It would change my life,” Django said.
Parker is a big name in world boxing and has proven time and time again that he is at the elite level and I would like to do the same for myself.
‘When I beat Parker, it will put me at the top of the world ranking.
Opelu worked an eight-hour shift at a construction site the same day he was fighting for the Australian title against Justis Huni (pictured)
The blue-collar pug (pictured, right) says a win against Parker would change his life
It will show that I belong there.
“Beating Parker is about legacy, it’s about making history and that’s what I like to do.
“Everyone knows that we can punch, that we have that enormous knockout power.
“It’s what everyone expects and I promise you that’s what everyone will get.”
Promoter George Rose knows his boxer is a dangerous commodity and believes Parker needs to be in his prime.
“…it only takes one hit and Django would become a household name overnight,” Rose said.
“A win over Parker would propel Opelu onto the highly lucrative global heavyweight scene and an opportunity for some of the biggest boxing names in the world.”
Tyson Fury, who is in town for the event, expects “fireworks” between Parker and Opelu and stated at the press conference that “someone is getting knocked out” in heavyweight competition.
Nikita Tszyu will feature as a costar against unbeaten Victorian Benjamin Bomber, while former AFL great Cameron Mooney will make his professional boxing debut against retired Essendon star Tom Bellchambers.
