Australian Jai Opetaia is a boxing world champion after a stunning upset victory over Latvian Mairis Briedis on the Gold Coast — despite shattering his saw so badly he couldn’t speak after the fight.

Opetaia (22-0, 17KO) defeated Briedis (28-2, 20KO) by unanimous decision in a thrilling, bloody battle to claim the IBF and Ring magazine cruiserweight titles.

Opetaia, 27, was rated the clear outsider against Briedis, who had previously only lost one bout in his career — to current heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

But the Sydneysider rocked the reigning champ early with several brutal blows before withstanding a late rally to secure on of the biggest wins in Australian boxing history.

Incredibly, Opetaia won despite breaking his jaw in just the second round, showing incredible toughness to stay on his feet late as Briedis threw everything at him.

“This will be something that in years to come will be remembered by people, and will be recalled by people, when they go to show the examples of great Australian sporting moments.”

Earlier Issac Hardman stole the show in the co-main event with a vicious shot that knocked Beau Hartas out cold.

Hardman looked slick throughout the first round and continued to tag Hartas.

But it was a brutal right hand that slept the Canberran.

There were scary scenes following, as Hartas didn’t get up.

Paramedics made their way into the ring and brought a stretcher with them but thankfully it was not needed.

The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113 and 116-12 in the Australian’s favour.

“It’s something special. He’s a special kid … he’ll go down in the history books,” the Australian’s coach Mark Wilson said.

Opetaia made an impressive start with Latvian Briedis suffering a cut over his right eye after just one round. “That’s not in a great spot,” commentator Ben Damon said.

Briedis gave as good has he got in the early rounds but Opetaia landed a brutal uppercut in the fourth round, with the rattled Latvian heading briefly for the wrong corner.

“Opetaia is producing a boxing a clinic as we speak. This is beautiful stuff from the Australian,” Damon said.

Opetaia took the ascendancy into the late rounds but a “desperate” Briedis continued to throw dangerous shots and looked to rock the Australian several times late. But, spurred on by his home crowd, Opetaia showed incredible courage to secure the memorable victory.

“The fact he broke his jaw in the second round, he kept it to himself, and then come the 11th round, the jaw came completely unstuck. And we could see there was something wrong with his mouth, the blood was starting to come out of it… The bravery to come out in those circumstances, that puts Jai Opetaia in Australian folklore,” boxing pundit Paul Kent said.