It appears that IBF cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia is being forced into a position where he will have to vacate the title he first won against Mairis Briedis in 2022.
Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) has endured a tough time keeping hold of the IBF belt due to rankings and other external factors. Having made a successful defense of the belt against Jordan Thompson 14 months after his crowning, Opetaia was stripped of the title. However, he would reclaim world title status in a vacant IBF title fight in a rematch with Briedis on the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury undercard, winning by unanimous decision.
The Australian southpaw made headlines as the first marquee name to sign up to Zuffa Boxing, led by Dana White, with a message that Opetaia was still looking to become an undisputed champion. It’s been a puzzling period due to White and Zuffa working hard to establish their own Zuffa world championship.
White stated in January: “I’m gonna get rid of the sanctioning organizations, the best will fight the best.”
However, since signing Opetaia, White has smoothed the edges on his statement that put the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO on high alert.
White added to his previous statement at a press conference: “All of this is sort of a work in progress. Obviously, these guys all came from somewhere. They had plans, they had dreams from when they were kids and first put on a pair of gloves. We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that these guys can do what they wanted to do. We’ll work with Jai and probably many other guys on stuff like this.
“I sort of came out a little vague. I don’t like to let everybody know what we’re doing until we do it. Like I said, this is all a work in progress and yeah, you’ll see.”
The IBF rules state that if Opetaia fights Glanton without sanctioning from the governing body, he will be stripped of the red and gold belt.
“If a Champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the Champion wins or loses the bout.”
Glanton (21-3, 18 KOs) is currently ranked in 15th place, making him eligible to challenge for the IBF title in voluntary defense with no impending mandatories.
According to a statement by the IBF published by Uncrowned Combat: “The IBF is still deliberating on the entirety of the situation regarding Jai Opetaia’s bout vs. Brandon Glanton. We are not making a public statement at this time.”
ESPN Mexico has reported that Opetaia has been asked to make a decision between the Zuffa and IBF titles.
In an interview with Sporting News Australia three weeks ago, Opetaia was unsure how this situation would play out: “There are a lot of things that are happening behind the scenes and I am a proud fighter that won the IBF fair and square, and I am happy to hold that belt. Whether we defend it [against Glanton] or not, I am not sure, but I will be defending it. Whether it’s in this one or the next one.
“It is my mission to become undisputed, so I don’t become undisputed without the IBF as well.”
Opetaia’s Zuffa debut against Glanton takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday.