After days of speculation, Zuffa Boxing claimed at today’s press conference that both Jai Opetaia’s IBF cruiserweight belt and the promotion’s new titular title would be on the line when Opetaia met Brandon Glanton this weekend. Turns out that may have been premature, as the IBF has now withdrawn its sanctioning.
Per the sanctioning body’s press release, Opetaia’s (29-0, 23 KO) team claimed that “any belt awarded by Zuffa would be ‘characterized as a trophy or token of recognition.’” The statement
from the press conference contradicted that claim and made clear that organizers were treating it as a title unification, conflicting with the IBF’s rules and prompting them to deem the fight an “Unsanctioned Contest.”
Should Opetaia proceed with the fight, “the title will be declared vacant whether the Champion wins or loses the bout.”
Opetaia has been vocal about his desire to unify with fellow titlist Noel Mikaelian and “Zurdo” Ramirez, making this a gigantic blow to his ambitions. It was, unfortunately, also a predictable one; Zuffa publicly and proudly claimed that they would not work with the four sanctioning bodies, which strikes me as the kind of move you make after you’ve established yourself as a player of similar caliber. It’s unclear whether they failed to consider the implications of their stance or just expected the IBF, boxing’s patron saints of following rules-as-written wherever they lead, to roll over.
Whatever the case, Opetaia now has a choice to make, as do the rest of the boxers Turki and co. snatched up during their recent signing spree. Whether they like it or not, the four belts represent a level of prestige in the boxing world that the Zuffa title simply does not at this stage of their attempted takeover. Or at least, like, two of them do. Three if you squint.
