New Zealand’s David Light (20-1, 12 KOs) knows better than most about the deadly nature of stepping inside the squared circle with IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia and his upcoming opponent, Brandon Glanton.
Now competing for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing title in the headline bout of Zuffa 04 on March 8 in Las Vegas, the pair have left an indelible mark on the former WBO world title challenger, who carries the damage accrued from his time spent sparring and fighting both men to this day. Despite the toll these experiences have taken, Light is excited to see the contest play out.
“I think it’ll be a banger,” he told FightsATW.com. “It’s actually a very stylistically interesting match-up, just because of how they are. Jai’s less of a counter boxer now and more of a guy who’ll hurt you, a big puncher. But Glanton, he’s more of a guy who really puts the pressure on, and he just stays there. He throws a lot of punches, and he wears you down.
“It’ll be really interesting. You’ve got a hungry guy against a guy who’s already made it, so to speak. I’m really, really interested.”
Light’s history with the champion extends back as far as 2012, a lifetime ago in boxing parlance. Then amateur rivals, the two faced off in Canberra for a place at that year’s London Olympic Games. Only 16 at the time, Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) not only edged the contest on points by a margin of 15-10, but left an impression on the Kiwi, himself only 20 at the time, for the boxing talent he displayed at such a young age.
Flash forward 10 years, and now far removed from the days of headgear and coloured singlets of amateur boxing, a completely different proposition presented itself. Just weeks after returning home from Florida, where he scored a first-round knockout of American Anthony Martinez, Light’s services as a sparring partner were enlisted by his former opponent’s camp.
What he felt then was in stark contrast to what he had felt a decade prior. Opetaia had undergone the transformation from purist to every bit of the hard-hitting, fighting machine who was on the cusp of upsetting Mairis Briedis to become a world champion. The blows dealt out during those rounds are symbolic of the change and have stayed with the man known as ‘The Great White’ ever since.
“I fought for like 17 years, so I’ve been in with all sorts of guys, but I think that was the most hurt I’ve ever been, just sparring him,” Light remembers.
“That guy hits hard, and he catches you at a funny time. You’ll be coming in with something, then he’ll bang you. So all of your momentum is going forward, and then you’re getting hit with a big shot. Those are the shots that knock you out. He’s got real knockout power.
“I had headaches that were pounding.”
Not to be outdone though, there is a significant amount of space within Light’s memory bank that is occupied by how he felt after 10 rounds with Brandon Glanton (21-3, 18 KOs). While he admits that the details of that hellacious night in Plant City in December 2022 and the immediate aftermath are sketchy, he simply cannot deny the physical impact.
Winning a split decision (95-94, 97-92, 94-95), Light had to rise from the canvas in the tenth round, overcoming exhaustion, mental fatigue, and a typically swarming Glanton in order to get his hand raised. Had it been scheduled to go 12 frames, he admits with a wry smile, that even after his own success in the later rounds, he still brandishes some uncertainty about how things may have played out.
“Sometimes I don’t believe I would’ve made it at all if it was a 12-round fight, and then sometimes, it’s just being a boxer and being big-headed, you think you can do anything. I’m pretty sure he would’ve knocked me out, but there are things I like to believe,” Light joked.
“By the 4th round, I was like ‘holy mac, I don’t think I can get through this,’ and then he knocked me down in the 10th round.
“I didn’t even remember winning the fight. I didn’t remember anything until about a quarter of an hour later. I was in the shower, and I was just like, ‘Did I win? Have I been dreaming?’ Brandon’s definitely a hard dude.
“He really hurt me. He was a tough guy. I hit him with some big shots, and it was just like it was nothing.”
In Light’s mind, the slugfest was the beginning of the end. Three months after the victory, the Auckland native travelled to Manchester, coming up short in his pursuit of Lawrence Okolie’s WBO title while still feeling the full force of Glanton’s thudding blows. By the start of June 2023, Light was done, a mild stroke bringing about a premature end to the pugilistic career of the then 31-year-old. The catalyst for the sharp downfall, he believes, is owed to those bruising 10 rounds.
“Preparing for that world title fight, there were nights where I’d wake up, and things were spinning, and that’s exactly how I felt when I had the stroke. I think the problems actually came from before the world title fight,” he said.
“I really do believe that Brandon Glanton put me there.”
In all, these experiences, coupled with the scars of battle, afford Light the ability to speak with pragmatism. That is to say, if Opetaia is to keep both his undefeated record and his titles, he’s going to be made to earn it through hard work and smart boxing.
“Glanton is a hungry dude. He wants it, and nothing phases him,” Light concluded. “His losses, they don’t mean anything to that guy, and that’s awesome, I really like that about him. He’ll be coming to win; he’s not coming to just be another guy rung up for a title shot just to get Jai out again. He’ll make it a fight.”
Light walked the walk, fought the rounds, felt the punches, and lived to tell the tale. Now, he wants you to join him in expecting to see a skilled champion and a tenacious contender put on a show.
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