Jai Opetaia stripped of IBF Cruiserweight title after competing for Zuffa Boxing championship

Ultimately, Jai Opetaia's decision to compete for the Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title cost him a significant championship.

Boxing Scene reported on Monday, and DAZN News subsequently confirmed the IBF stripped the Ring Magazine titlist Opetaia on Thursday, March 19, of the 200-pound title after the Australian went through with his March 8 unanimous decision over Brandon Glanton to become the first champion in Dana White's startup promotion.

The sanctioning body took the title away from Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs) because the Glanton fight was deemed an unsanctioned bout. After all, the Zuffa Boxing belts aren't considered a major world title at this time, and the IBF frowns upon champions competing in those types of fights.

“On March 19, 2026, the IBF Board of Directors met via teleconference to address the status of the IBF Cruiserweight title held by Jai Opetaia,” the IBF said in a statement sent to DAZN News. “At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board voted to vacate the title pursuant to Rule 5.H. 

“The IBF Cruiserweight title is vacant.” 

When asked for comment on Opetaia getting stripped, a Zuffa Boxing representative told DAZN News, "Not yet."

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When Zuffa Boxing announced Opetaia and Glanton would be fighting to become the first cruiserweight titleholder, nothing was mentioned of the IBF championship being at stake. After talking with Opetaia's team, the bout was sanctioned as an IBF title as it was presented to the sanctioning body that the Zuffa belt was nothing more than a trophy. 

On Friday, March 6, things took another twist. Sanctioning fees had been paid by Sean Gibbons’ Knucklehead Boxing a payment of $73,000 to the IBF which covered the sanctioning fees for the reported purses of Opetaia ($45,000) and Glanton ($6,000), along with the promoter’s fee ($22,000).

Opetaia had the IBF on the stage along with the Ring title. But Zuffa kept saying at the press conference the fight was for the Zuffa belts, with the IBF not even being mentioned and treating the former as a world championship, the sanctioning body changed course and returned the fee to Gibbons.

“The bout sanction followed discussions that began on February 11, when IBF President Daryl Peoples, after learning about the scheduled contest on social media, reminded Opetaia’s representatives of IBF Rule 5 governing champions and unification bouts," the IBF statement continued. "Michael (Mick) Francis, head of Tasman Fighters, Opetaia’s promoter of record with the IBF, followed with an application requesting sanction for the optional defense of the IBF Cruiserweight title. The IBF denied sanction of the bout pursuant to IBF Rule 5.E.2, which states: “For the purpose of unification of titles, the preeminent Champions of the World Boxing Association (‘WBA’), the World Boxing Council (‘WBC’), and the World Boxing Organization (‘WBO’) may be designated as ‘elite contenders’ and may be permitted to fight for the unified title.”

“Francis then requested that the committee reconsider its decision, noting that the bout would not be for unification, but the Zuffa title would be contested alongside the IBF title in the same manner that the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title has been contested in bouts involving IBF champions. Peoples explained that the IBF recognizes the IBO and added that like the other sanctioning organizations operating in U.S. professional boxing, it is subject to the same federal regulatory framework governing sanctioning bodies. Sanction remained denied.” 

It's unknown who the IBF will order to compete for the vacant title.

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