Latest news with #Opetaia
Scoop
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Pacific Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Awarded To Opetaia Foa'i
The Pacific Music Awards Trust is proud to announce the 2025 Ministry for Pacific Peoples Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to one of the South Pacific's most influential cultural and musical ambassadors - Opetaia Foa'i. An artist whose passion for Pacific culture has shaped his music and inspired others, Opetaia Foa'i has spent over three decades championing the stories, languages, and rhythms of the Pacific. As the frontman and founder of the renowned Polynesian band Te Vaka, and a key songwriter for Disney's Moana and Moana 2, Foa'i has brought the heartbeat of the Pacific to global audiences. Opetaia was born in a Tokelau settlement in a small village called Alamagoto in Samoa, to parents from Tokelau and Tuvalu. Growing up, he was surrounded by traditional rhythms, songs and dances which laid the foundation for his music today. From the outset of his career, Foa'i has been sharing his culture and stories with the world. Over his 30-year career, he hasn't wavered - consistently writing music in the languages of Tokelau, Tuvalu and Samoa with topics highlighting stories and concerns from his parts of the world. In 1995, Te Vaka was formed by Opetaia Foa'i and quickly gained international acclaim, performing at major festivals across Europe, the US, and the Pacific. Singing in in Tokelauan, Tuvaluan, and Samoan, the band resonated deeply with audiences, celebrating Pacific identity while addressing pressing issues such as climate change, human rights, and cultural preservation. Foa'i's songwriting brilliance caught the attention of Walt Disney Animation Studios, leading to his collaboration on the Moana soundtrack alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Mancina. His contributions, including the iconic 'We Know the Way,' marked a historic moment bringing Pacific languages to the Billboard charts and into the hearts of millions worldwide. Rev Mua, spokesperson for the Pacific Music Awards Trust, says: "The Pacific Music Awards humbly announces Opetaia Foa'i, Tuvalu Tokelau Samoan global Pasifika Music pioneer as the 2025 Pacific Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Recipient'. 'For over thirty years, Opetaia has Tautua served musically, locally, nationally and internationally. From, local to global, navigating Pacific languages, cultural identity development and Pasifika. Oceania Climate Change issues.' Throughout his career, Opetaia has received numerous accolades including multiple Pacific Music Awards, New Zealand Music Awards, and international honours including American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. His music has not only entertained but has educated and empowered, giving voice to Pacific stories on the world stage. In 2023, he returned to the Disney scene to contribute to Moana 2, once again collaborating with Te Vaka musicians and vocalists to continue the legacy of Pacific storytelling through song. Opetaia shares 'I'm grateful to be honoured with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award'. 'It has been a long but fulfilling journey so far taking our Pacific music to the world. In my work I have found great strength in using our Pacific languages and it's great to see the Pacific Music Awards continuing to uplift and encourage artists to use our languages in their music'. 'I hope the younger generations continue to proudly carry the torch for our rich culture' says Opetaia. Now based in Sydney, Australia, with his wife and four children, Opetaia continues to create, inspire, and advocate, currently working on a new Te Vaka album. The Pacific Music Awards will take place at on Thursday 21st August 2025, at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau. To listen to all the nominees, here's the official PMA 2025 Finalist Playlist. Tickets for the 2025 Pacific Music Awards are available for purchase through this link here. The 2025 Pacific Music awards will be live streamed by Tagata Pasifika on TP+ ( For more information: About the Pacific Music Awards In 2004 the Pacific Music Awards Committee (PMAC) was formed to realise a vision and the inaugural Pacific Music Awards debuted at Pasifika Festival in March 2005. Encouraged by the success of the awards the PMAC set about developing an annual event as a significant highlight of the New Zealand music industry calendar. The awards committee formed a Charitable Trust to organise and host the awards, and are driven by a simple core objective: to create and manage an event that acknowledges the success of Pacific artists, celebrates and promotes excellence in Pacific music and encourages young Pacific musicians to aspire to a higher level of achievement.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I let Sonny Bill Williams take a free shot at me - this is what happened next ...and what he really thinks of the Lions
For a few seconds, I am flat on the floor of the Opetaia Boxing Club, staring up at the ceiling. That is what happens when you agree to take a half-cocked punch from Sonny Bill Williams, one of sport's greatest specimens, straight into the ribs.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Jai Opetaia inflicts ‘worst broken jaw ever seen' on opponent Claudio Squeo that needed emergency surgery
JAI OPETAIA inflicted the 'worst broken jaw ever seen' by the doctor who saved Caludio Squeo's face. Australia's 29-year-old cruiserweight king had to defend his IBF crown against the brave Italian on Sunday night. 4 4 And he did so with his trademark ruthless brilliance, battering the previously unbeaten man inside five one-sided rounds. A body shot dropped Squeo in the fourth and a lead right hook from the South Coast southpaw in the fifth broke his mouth and dreams. Opetaia's Tasman team looked after the 34-year-old, rushing him to hospital where he got expert care and the diagnoses that left him needing a minimum of THREE metal plates to reinforce his jaw. 'He has two breaks,' Dr Shannon Webber explained to the team in a video shared - with full permission - with SunSport. 'He was obviously clipped here and then it's gone 'BANG'. 'And, when there is one fracture, there is always an exit break. It's like a ring that always breaks in two spots. 'And there is a piece of fragmented bone left floating in his left cheek.' Despite the brutal injuries suffered, as soon as Squeo came out of theatre, he helped praise on Opetaia and his classy team for their phenomenal assault on thr 14st 4lbs division and their decency outside the ropes. 'I just came out of surgery to fix the two fractures I sustained in my jaw during the match,' he explained. 'The operation went very well. I'm fine. 'Laughed it off' - Joseph Parker reveals Usyk's blunt reaction after face-to-face challenge as rival opens door to Fury trilogy 'I learned right after the match that Opetaia was concerned about my condition and told his team to take care of me in every way possible. 'This shows us who the current IBF heavyweight champion truly is - not just a boxing phenomenon - but a real man, endowed with great sensitivity and heart. 'This is a boxing story driven by extreme men, filled with incredible tension, but also by boundless mutual respect.' Opetaia - who overcame a broken jaw during his gruelling 2022 win over Mairis Briedis - now has a unification against Gilberto Ramirez on his wish list. "Next fight Zurdo Ramirez, he's mentioned me, he's told me he will fight me next after his mandatory," Opetaia said. "Let's get it on, I'm chasing that belt, let's go." 4 4
The Advertiser
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'Once we do that': idling Opetaia's boxing promise
An idling Jai Opetaia predicts an overdue date with another world champion will push him to greater heights as the Australian pound-for-pound king takes the unification quest into his own hands. The IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion barely left first gear in his title defence on Sunday night, but still broke the jaw of Claudio Squeo to earn a clinical fifth-round stoppage. Almost three years ago Opetaia had his own jaw broken twice in the same Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre venue by Mairis Briedis, but fought through the pain to upset the Latvian and claim his belts. Opetaia is hunting all five belts in the division before a move up to bridgerweight or heavyweight. He'll travel with manager Mick Francis to the United States and sit ringside when Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez defends his WBC and WBO titles against Yuniel Dorticos later this month. An Opetaia-Ramirez, four-belt unification blockbuster could happen on the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez Las Vegas card in September or in Saudi Arabia a month later. Manager Mick Francis has also petitioned the Queensland government to back a Suncorp Stadium super-fight, adamant his man can fill it eight years after Jeff Horn shocked Manny Pacquiao at the heaving Brisbane venue. Badou Jack is the other cruiserweight world champion, currently holding the WBC strap. "I'm not chasing Zurdo specifically; I'm chasing the belts and if he loses his belts in this fight, I'm chasing that guy," Opetaia said after moving to 28-0. Kostya Tszyu became undisputed light-welterweight champion in 2001 while George Kambosos Jnr held four of five lightweight belts when he stunned Teofimo Lopez 20 years later. "Undisputed is the top, there's no better. And once we do that ... there's another two categories to win world titles," Opetaia said of his grand plans. "A three-division world champion sounds good to me. Maybe even a super-fight with (light heavyweight champion) Bivol. There's so many exciting fights to make. "But everything is all talk, unless we keep winning." Opetaia, barring a warring defeat of Briedis in last year's rematch, has done that mercilessly since first becoming world champion. "Once I get another belt around my waist it's going to be a whole new chapter," he predicted. "Squeo coming out here (and losing), is proving what I already know. "Everyone's always bad-mouthing ... my opposition. Just because I beat them the way I beat them, I'm always getting it. "When I get my hands on one (world champion) and put on that clinic, everyone is going to go, 'F***, this kid is good'." Squeo gave away large height and weight advantages to Opetaia but, at 17-0 and boasting knockout power, remained a threat. That was until Opetaia worked over the Italian's body in the fourth round and then connected with a sweet right hook when Squeo was boxed into a corner in the fifth round. "I heard the punch break his jaw and was like, "F***, you poor bastard'," he said. "I know how that feels, being here and getting your jaw broken." Opetaia will sit ringside in California when two-division world champion Ramirez features on the Jake Paul undercard on June 28. "When I see him I'll probably shake his hand, introduce myself," Opetaia said. "I'm not here to talk shit ... I'm chasing greatness, which I think all world champions should be." An idling Jai Opetaia predicts an overdue date with another world champion will push him to greater heights as the Australian pound-for-pound king takes the unification quest into his own hands. The IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion barely left first gear in his title defence on Sunday night, but still broke the jaw of Claudio Squeo to earn a clinical fifth-round stoppage. Almost three years ago Opetaia had his own jaw broken twice in the same Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre venue by Mairis Briedis, but fought through the pain to upset the Latvian and claim his belts. Opetaia is hunting all five belts in the division before a move up to bridgerweight or heavyweight. He'll travel with manager Mick Francis to the United States and sit ringside when Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez defends his WBC and WBO titles against Yuniel Dorticos later this month. An Opetaia-Ramirez, four-belt unification blockbuster could happen on the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez Las Vegas card in September or in Saudi Arabia a month later. Manager Mick Francis has also petitioned the Queensland government to back a Suncorp Stadium super-fight, adamant his man can fill it eight years after Jeff Horn shocked Manny Pacquiao at the heaving Brisbane venue. Badou Jack is the other cruiserweight world champion, currently holding the WBC strap. "I'm not chasing Zurdo specifically; I'm chasing the belts and if he loses his belts in this fight, I'm chasing that guy," Opetaia said after moving to 28-0. Kostya Tszyu became undisputed light-welterweight champion in 2001 while George Kambosos Jnr held four of five lightweight belts when he stunned Teofimo Lopez 20 years later. "Undisputed is the top, there's no better. And once we do that ... there's another two categories to win world titles," Opetaia said of his grand plans. "A three-division world champion sounds good to me. Maybe even a super-fight with (light heavyweight champion) Bivol. There's so many exciting fights to make. "But everything is all talk, unless we keep winning." Opetaia, barring a warring defeat of Briedis in last year's rematch, has done that mercilessly since first becoming world champion. "Once I get another belt around my waist it's going to be a whole new chapter," he predicted. "Squeo coming out here (and losing), is proving what I already know. "Everyone's always bad-mouthing ... my opposition. Just because I beat them the way I beat them, I'm always getting it. "When I get my hands on one (world champion) and put on that clinic, everyone is going to go, 'F***, this kid is good'." Squeo gave away large height and weight advantages to Opetaia but, at 17-0 and boasting knockout power, remained a threat. That was until Opetaia worked over the Italian's body in the fourth round and then connected with a sweet right hook when Squeo was boxed into a corner in the fifth round. "I heard the punch break his jaw and was like, "F***, you poor bastard'," he said. "I know how that feels, being here and getting your jaw broken." Opetaia will sit ringside in California when two-division world champion Ramirez features on the Jake Paul undercard on June 28. "When I see him I'll probably shake his hand, introduce myself," Opetaia said. "I'm not here to talk shit ... I'm chasing greatness, which I think all world champions should be." An idling Jai Opetaia predicts an overdue date with another world champion will push him to greater heights as the Australian pound-for-pound king takes the unification quest into his own hands. The IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion barely left first gear in his title defence on Sunday night, but still broke the jaw of Claudio Squeo to earn a clinical fifth-round stoppage. Almost three years ago Opetaia had his own jaw broken twice in the same Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre venue by Mairis Briedis, but fought through the pain to upset the Latvian and claim his belts. Opetaia is hunting all five belts in the division before a move up to bridgerweight or heavyweight. He'll travel with manager Mick Francis to the United States and sit ringside when Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez defends his WBC and WBO titles against Yuniel Dorticos later this month. An Opetaia-Ramirez, four-belt unification blockbuster could happen on the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez Las Vegas card in September or in Saudi Arabia a month later. Manager Mick Francis has also petitioned the Queensland government to back a Suncorp Stadium super-fight, adamant his man can fill it eight years after Jeff Horn shocked Manny Pacquiao at the heaving Brisbane venue. Badou Jack is the other cruiserweight world champion, currently holding the WBC strap. "I'm not chasing Zurdo specifically; I'm chasing the belts and if he loses his belts in this fight, I'm chasing that guy," Opetaia said after moving to 28-0. Kostya Tszyu became undisputed light-welterweight champion in 2001 while George Kambosos Jnr held four of five lightweight belts when he stunned Teofimo Lopez 20 years later. "Undisputed is the top, there's no better. And once we do that ... there's another two categories to win world titles," Opetaia said of his grand plans. "A three-division world champion sounds good to me. Maybe even a super-fight with (light heavyweight champion) Bivol. There's so many exciting fights to make. "But everything is all talk, unless we keep winning." Opetaia, barring a warring defeat of Briedis in last year's rematch, has done that mercilessly since first becoming world champion. "Once I get another belt around my waist it's going to be a whole new chapter," he predicted. "Squeo coming out here (and losing), is proving what I already know. "Everyone's always bad-mouthing ... my opposition. Just because I beat them the way I beat them, I'm always getting it. "When I get my hands on one (world champion) and put on that clinic, everyone is going to go, 'F***, this kid is good'." Squeo gave away large height and weight advantages to Opetaia but, at 17-0 and boasting knockout power, remained a threat. That was until Opetaia worked over the Italian's body in the fourth round and then connected with a sweet right hook when Squeo was boxed into a corner in the fifth round. "I heard the punch break his jaw and was like, "F***, you poor bastard'," he said. "I know how that feels, being here and getting your jaw broken." Opetaia will sit ringside in California when two-division world champion Ramirez features on the Jake Paul undercard on June 28. "When I see him I'll probably shake his hand, introduce myself," Opetaia said. "I'm not here to talk shit ... I'm chasing greatness, which I think all world champions should be."
West Australian
09-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
'Once we do that': idling Opetaia's boxing promise
An idling Jai Opetaia predicts an overdue date with another world champion will push him to greater heights as the Australian pound-for-pound king takes the unification quest into his own hands. The IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion barely left first gear in his title defence on Sunday night, but still broke the jaw of Claudio Squeo to earn a clinical fifth-round stoppage. Almost three years ago Opetaia had his own jaw broken twice in the same Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre venue by Mairis Briedis, but fought through the pain to upset the Latvian and claim his belts. Opetaia is hunting all five belts in the division before a move up to bridgerweight or heavyweight. He'll travel with manager Mick Francis to the United States and sit ringside when Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez defends his WBC and WBO titles against Yuniel Dorticos later this month. An Opetaia-Ramirez, four-belt unification blockbuster could happen on the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez Las Vegas card in September or in Saudi Arabia a month later. Manager Mick Francis has also petitioned the Queensland government to back a Suncorp Stadium super-fight, adamant his man can fill it eight years after Jeff Horn shocked Manny Pacquiao at the heaving Brisbane venue. Badou Jack is the other cruiserweight world champion, currently holding the WBC strap. "I'm not chasing Zurdo specifically; I'm chasing the belts and if he loses his belts in this fight, I'm chasing that guy," Opetaia said after moving to 28-0. Kostya Tszyu became undisputed light-welterweight champion in 2001 while George Kambosos Jnr held four of five lightweight belts when he stunned Teofimo Lopez 20 years later. "Undisputed is the top, there's no better. And once we do that ... there's another two categories to win world titles," Opetaia said of his grand plans. "A three-division world champion sounds good to me. Maybe even a super-fight with (light heavyweight champion) Bivol. There's so many exciting fights to make. "But everything is all talk, unless we keep winning." Opetaia, barring a warring defeat of Briedis in last year's rematch, has done that mercilessly since first becoming world champion. "Once I get another belt around my waist it's going to be a whole new chapter," he predicted. "Squeo coming out here (and losing), is proving what I already know. "Everyone's always bad-mouthing ... my opposition. Just because I beat them the way I beat them, I'm always getting it. "When I get my hands on one (world champion) and put on that clinic, everyone is going to go, 'F***, this kid is good'." Squeo gave away large height and weight advantages to Opetaia but, at 17-0 and boasting knockout power, remained a threat. That was until Opetaia worked over the Italian's body in the fourth round and then connected with a sweet right hook when Squeo was boxed into a corner in the fifth round. "I heard the punch break his jaw and was like, "F***, you poor bastard'," he said. "I know how that feels, being here and getting your jaw broken." Opetaia will sit ringside in California when two-division world champion Ramirez features on the Jake Paul undercard on June 28. "When I see him I'll probably shake his hand, introduce myself," Opetaia said. "I'm not here to talk shit ... I'm chasing greatness, which I think all world champions should be."
