Jai Opetaia isn't your usual world champion. Then again, the foundations that made him unapologetically himself, aren't exactly common either.

The same way many laud Oleksandr Usyk as a road warrior, beating fighters across the world on away soil, the Aussie southpaw has relished an opportunity to do similar from his teenage years in the amateur ranks.

Whether it was winning gold in Kazakhstan at the AIBA World Junior Championships at 16 or testing his mettle against various styles on business trips to London and Yerevan, Shkodër and Helsinki, Warsaw and more before his 20th birthday, this seasoning abroad gave him a platform to build upon when eventually building his star in Australia.

His startling fourth-round stoppage win over David Nyika earlier this month marked a third IBF title defense over two unblemished reigns as world champion and the unbeaten Ring titleholder (27-0, 21 KOs) won't be hanging around at the 200-pound limit for much longer.

While a direct callout of unified WBA, WBO world titlist Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez was forthcoming as he addressed fans on the Gold Coast after a welcome homecoming on January 8, the 29-year-old knows it's not as straightforward as it may seem.

WBC champion Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs), who hasn't boxed in two years, has been ordered to face mandatory challenger Ryan Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KOs) after being reinstated as full titleholder while Noel Mikaelian gets his legal issues in order.

Ramirez meanwhile outpointed Bournemouth's Chris Billam-Smith to win the WBO title on November 16 but is expected to box Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) next after being mandated by the WBA last week, meaning Opetaia will likely make another voluntary defence around April-May time, depending on available options.

#1 ranked contender Huseyin Cinkara (22-0, 18 KOs) withdrew with ankle ligament damage and won't be back soon, while Opetaia's manager Mick Francis floated the possibility of another UK return this summer to continue building his brand abroad, assuming he's not given the callup to feature on another Riyadh Season bill in Saudi Arabia.

He reflected on another unification delay, returning to headline a card in Australia after four consecutive away trips and more, in conversation with The Ring last week.

"It's frustrating, I've been chasing these unification fights for a long time, and can only do my job - train and perform when it's time, it is what it is. It was good to have that fight down our neck of the woods, mad for our area. Boxing in Australia is in a really good spot at the moment, our boys are starting to take off like Justis Huni and Conor Wallace, so that's awesome. Watch out for Max McIntyre, too.

"It was a good finish, not how I planned it but anything can happen in that ring, I'm just glad we've both come out healthy.

"You adapt in the ring, I felt alright in there, even when getting clipped in the second, feeling like I was handling my own and doing whatever I needed to. If it got dangerous, we're not idiots, you've got to win properly so I would've gone back to just boxing and moving. I'm ready to get back in there whenever they give me a date, whatever comes."