Could all-British bout contest IBF crown after Opetaia stripped?

For the second time in his career, Jai Opetaia has lost his grasp the IBF cruiserweight crown without dropping a bout in the ring himself.

The Australian's victory over Brandon Glanton earlier this month may have earned him the inaugural Zuffa belt - but it has cost him too.

The governing body's decision to withdraw sanctioning for the star's test suggested he would be stripped of his major crown once more.

Now, it has been officially confirmed that he is no longer their champion, with the IBF on the hunt for a new star to take on the mantle.

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Immediate expectations suggest a planned eliminator between Mateusz Masternak and Viddal Riley may now come with new stakes.

If that is the case, then it presents the latter - originally expected to pursue the European belt in this clash - with the chance of a lifetime.

Yet if it comes to pass, and Riley subsequently triumphs next month against his foe, might his first defence deliver an all-British classic?

'The Rilest' ready for close-up?

Unbeaten across a baker's dozen of professional bouts, Riley has worked his way up the ranks with a diligent tact and shrewd manner.

His win over Cheavon Clarke in April last year earned him the Lonsdale Belt beneath the bright lights of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This bout with Masternak was intended to be the clash that moved the needle on his aspirations to rise up to world level later this year.

Instead, the stakes have suddenly got higher. Even if the IBF do not up the ante for their bout, both men will know there is a vacancy.

That leaves Riley with the extra pressure on his shoulders to find a performance that could prove to be defining for his future in the ring.

Win, with or without the belt on the line, and his reputation soars. Lose - and lose hard - and he could find himself starting from scratch.

Yet for all the opportunities that could be poised to fall towards his path, there is still one large domestic shadow that hangs over his head.

'The Gentleman' lies in wait

Since outpointing Brandon Glanton on the same bill as Riley's win over Clarke, Chris Billam-Smith has spent the interim kicking his heels.

It has not been for an apparent lack of trying. The former WBO champion has been linked to plenty of opponents - including Opetaia.

(Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)

Indeed, the back-and-forth between the pair's teams painted a picture that suggested frustration over the lack of a deal between them.

Such a move is now moot. Billam-Smith's desire is to become world champion again. With Opetaia stripped, the star is off the table now.

In a strange quirk however, the Briton is the IBF's top-ranked challenger, currently perched at number three, with nobody listed above him.

It means that, bar a major twist, 'The Gentleman' is likely to be offered the first crack at whoever emerges with the belt in the next few weeks.

For Riley, the star could sit on the cusp of history. Achieve that, and he can tee up something even greater - a bold British dust-up for the ages.

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