Accustomed to "getting sued by billionaires", Jai Opetaia has rolled his eyes at the latest legal threat from boxing powerbroker Don King designed to derail his Las Vegas date with Noel Mikaelian.
The unbeaten Australian cruiserweight (30-0) will take on the current WBC champion (28-3) at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday (AEST) as the co-main event of a blockbuster card headlined by Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn.
Opetaia is the face of UFC supremo Dana White's Saudi-backed Zuffa Boxing.
He controversially had his IBF world title belt stripped - remarkably for the second time - when he won the organisation's first world title in March.
Opetaia remains deep in a messy legal fight with the IBF to be reinstated with that belt which Mikaelian can relate to with the WBC likely to strip him of their title once the bell rings.
"That's just boxing, man," Opetaia told AAP after a training session at the UFC's Vegas facility on Wednesday.
"I've been getting sued since my first world title fight in 2022 ... I'm just a kid from the NSW Central Coast, getting sued by billionaires.
"It's pretty ****ing crazy; these guys have nothing better to do.
"They try to drown me in bills, so for a while there I was just fighting to pay court fees.
"It drags on and they hope one day you'll say 'no'. But I was just like, '***k this, I'm sticking my toes in the ground', not letting them push me around just because they're rich."
At one point Opetaia was offering most of his purse to secure unification fights that were not forthcoming as other champions opted to avoid the proud Australian-Samoan, who was barely 17 when he fought at London's 2012 Olympics.
That lack of action led him to pursue opportunities in Saudi Arabia and with White, to a match-up with an opponent who has plenty in common with Opetaia.
King filed a cease and desist order this week to have the fight scrapped after he had attempted to match Mikaelian with WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion David Benavidez in an unprecedented first defence.
The affable German-Armenian claims he accepted the fight but, after not seeing any progress for almost two months, took on Zuffa's offer to instead fight Opetaia.
Mikaelian's WBC status will likely fall to Michal Cieslak, who has been slated to fight Benavidez in December.
Should Benavidez win and claim a third belt, a much-hyped date with Sunday's winner has been touted for May next year in Las Vegas.
If Opetaia beats Mikaelian and the IBF hand back his belt, that fight would be for undisputed status.
While other champions have actively dodged Opetaia, Mikaelian insists he's prepared to sacrifice his belt for the chance to face him.
"Lawyer bills are stacking up but we're here, ready to fight," he said this week.
"There will probably be some chaos going on this week, but I'll stay focused."
Opetaia, fully aware of the opportunity that lies ahead, respects his opponent's determination and will to win.
"Every single time I step in the ring, everything is on the line," he said.
"I'm on the biggest stage in the world but one slip and I'm back at my local.
"Being up the top of the division, people are watching and training specifically for me. At the top of the tree, everyone wants to cut you down."
Australian Associated Press
