In a late revelation, Jai Opetaia is set to be stripped of his IBF cruiserweight title the moment he enters the ring to face challenger Brandon Glanton tonight in Las Vegas.
Opetaia is scheduled to fight Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing World Cruiserweight title and was originally scheduled with the blessing of the IBF, to defend their belt, however the New Jersey based organisation has withdrawn sanction of the optional defence in a late U turn.
The IBF stated that they had initially approved the bout as Opetaia’s team had told them the Zuffa Boxing fight in Las Vegas would not be a unification bout and that any belt awarded would be characterised as a trophy or token of recognition.
However, following a review of the final news conference on Friday, it became apparent that the Zuffa World Cruiserweight title would be contested for and announced in the same breath as the established IBF championship. The IBF made it clear that they do not recognise Zuffa Boxing and as far as they were concerned it was now an unsanctioned bout.
It has been universally acknowledged that unification by definition is determined between the holders of the time established and proven governing bodies (WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF)
An unsanctioned contest in this context is a bout which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanctioning has been formally withdrawn.
The IBF stated “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.”
Australias Opetaia will therefor forfeit his IBF belt but will keep possession of the Ring cruiserweight title which he simultaneously holds.
Zuffa Boxing is fronted by UFC CEO Dana White and hosted its first flagship event in January and has unveiled ambitious plans to transform professional boxing.
White’s goal appears to be to end the current monopoly of the four traditional sanctioning bodies – WBO, WBC, IBF and WBA – and elevate Zuffa’s belt as the ultimate prize in boxing in allegiance with the Ring Magazine title, championed and owned by Saudi boxing aficionado Turki Alalshikh.
Apart from having signed Opetaia, Zuffa recently scalped the signature of Britains Conor Benn, who controversially left Matchroom Boxing to jump aboard.