On March 23, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) formally informed Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs) that he has been stripped of his cruiserweight world title (up to 90.7 kg).
IBF Revokes Opetaia’s Championship Status
This significant decision stems from Opetaia’s recent debut with Zuffa Boxing. On March 8, the Australian boxer competed in Las Vegas, where he secured a vacant title from the closed promotion by defeating Brandon Glanton on points. However, the IBF currently does not recognize Zuffa as a legitimate promotional organization with officially sanctioned championship titles.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the IBF’s sanction for Opetaia’s title was reportedly withdrawn late on March 6 – following the final press conference and less than 48 hours before the actual bout. Despite Opetaia’s team initiating legal proceedings after his victory over Glanton in an attempt to retain his championship status, these efforts did not alter the IBF’s position.
Consequently, the undefeated Australian has now lost an IBF title for the second time in his professional career.
It is noteworthy that when Opetaia initially signed his contract with Zuffa, he had publicly expressed his intention to maintain his IBF title and continue his pursuit of becoming the undisputed champion of the division.