IBF confirms cruiserweight champion’s status still unresolved after Zuffa title bout with Brandon Glanton
Jai Opetaia defeated Brandon Glanton in Las Vegas to remain unbeaten, but the IBF has not yet confirmed whether he will keep its cruiserweight title. The sanctioning body says the situation remains under review following the Zuffa championship bout.
The unbeaten Australian improved to 30-0 after outboxing Glanton at the Meta Apex on Sunday, a fight that also crowned the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight champion. Reports before the bout suggested the IBF would strip Opetaia of its belt when the opening bell sounded because the contest involved another title outside its sanction.
Instead, the situation remains unresolved.
Opetaia spoke after the fight about his ambition to collect every major belt at cruiserweight. The IBF responded with a statement explaining that a final decision on the title has not yet been reached.
“Jai Opetaia made comments during the post-fight press conference that have led the organization’s leadership to question whether he was made completely and fully aware by his advisors of the decisions he needed to make when committing to the bout against Brandon Glanton. The organization intends to look further into this matter.”
The sanctioning body also rejected claims that it withdrew recognition of the fight because it felt slighted during the promotion.
“The IBF categorically rejects any suggestion or claim that it intentionally withdrew sanction to cause harm. The IBF granted sanction of the Opetaia vs. Glanton bout in good faith expecting that what was assured was what would transpire.”
“The press conference held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 8 made it very clear that the inaugural Zuffa World Cruiserweight championship would be contested on March 8.”
“The IBF, as previously stated on March 6, reserves the right to sanction title bouts alongside other sanctioning bodies that comply with the same regulations followed by the IBF, and reserves the right to sanction title bouts alongside other contests that stage the IBF Cruiserweight Title remains in deliberation.”
Opetaia handled the business in the ring, using his southpaw jab and straight left hand to keep Glanton outside while building combinations across the rounds. The bigger question now sits with the sanctioning body.
The IBF has confirmed that a definitive ruling on Opetaia’s championship status will be announced at a later date.