Champion says Zuffa will allow undisputed chase as sanctioning body weighs stance
Jai Opetaia says his pursuit of the undisputed cruiserweight championship will continue even as the IBF considers its stance on his upcoming fight with Brandon Glanton.
The IBF champion addressed the situation in an interview with The Sun, rejecting reports that he must choose between defending his title or fighting for the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight belt.
“We’re chasing undisputed. This is my dream. Look at the last couple of undisputed fighters. You’ve got [Terence] Crawford, you’ve got [Oleksandr] Usyk, legends of the sport,” Opetaia said.
“I want my name up there like that.”
Opetaia confirmed the new promotion has assured him that winning its title will not prevent future unification fights with the traditional sanctioning belts.
He currently holds the IBF cruiserweight championship and is scheduled to face Brandon Glanton in Las Vegas for the first Zuffa cruiserweight title. Reports earlier in the week suggested the IBF had instructed the Australian to defend its belt instead of participating in the new championship fight.
Opetaia dismissed that claim and said discussions with the sanctioning body remain open.
“False! I want to work with the IBF, you know. And they’re not ruled out. I wanna become undisputed. And unless the IBF jump on board and work with us, man, my dreams become a fantasy.”
The 29-year-old said much of the reporting around the situation has been driven by speculation rather than confirmed decisions.
“Just don’t listen to everything you read on the internet, you should know that, bro. People are always jumping to conclusions,” Opetaia said.
If the IBF ultimately refuses to sanction the Glanton fight, Opetaia risks losing that belt. That outcome would alter the immediate cruiserweight title landscape while the division waits to see whether Zuffa’s championship structure can coexist with the existing system.