Could Jai Opetaia regain IBF title despite Zuffa cruiserweight chaos?

Jai Opetaia is set to launch a new chapter in his career tonight when he takes on Brandon Glanton in Zuffa boxing.

The Australian will bid to become the new promotion's first cruiserweight champion at the MetaAPEX in Las Vegas.

But despite his own assurances, the status of his long-time major crown has been under major scrutiny this week.

Already IBF champion, the governing body has now stated the star will be stripped of his belt when he competes today.

So just why is the Sydneysider facing an uncertain future as the title holder? And could he yet regain it? DAZN News explains the situation.

Why could Opetaia lose the IBF title?

Boxing's myriad of governing bodies have, for the past few generations, co-existed despite their internal politics and varied differences.

The main four are the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization.

Fighters seeking unification or undisputed status have had to frequently navigate the perils of mandatory challengers and other hurdles.

But the quartet recognise each other's governance - something they do not yet extend to Zuffa, which has designs on ending the system.

The new body wants to ultimately streamline the sport's multiple titles into a single crown under its own moniker, bypassing the old order.

As such, the IBF and others do not recognise it - and contesting for a Zuffa strap effectively forces their hand to declare their crown vacant.

What has the IBF said on Opetaia?

In a statement issued on Friday, the IBF confirmed that they would no longer sanction Opetaia's fight with Glanton over the Zuffa crown.

The body confirmed discussions with the Australian's team, who stated the latter would be "characterized as a trophy or token of recognition".

Following a press conference however, the IBF withdrew their support and confirmed Opetaia would be stripped if he contested the fight.

“An Unsanctioned Contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn," read the official announcement.

"If a Champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the Champion wins or loses the bout."

What happens now?

For Opetaia, it marks a major blow in his continued attempts to pursue undisputed status at cruiserweight, after a frustrating two-year pursuit.

Having previously vacated the IBF crown once over mandatory orders, he has reclaimed it and further built an imposing pound-for-pound reputation.

This second strip however begs major questions over whether he can pursue his ambitions to sweep the division if he remains with Zuffa for now.

Opetaia has struggled to book unification shots with Chris Billam-Smith and Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez amid his tenure as champion.

Now, he faces another threat to his place in the pecking order, potentially frozen out of the conversation, even as he towers over his rivals.

Could Opetaia regain the IBF title?

Of course, this is far from the end of the road for the star. As stated, Opetaia has lost the IBF crown once before - and he regained it again too.

Despite losing his grip on the crown, the star's pound-for-pound reputation in the division means he will likely remain well-ranked with the body.

The IBF is likely to order a contest between their next two leading challengers to fill the gap, with Billam-Smith currently their leading contender.

But should Opetaia opt to break ties with Zuffa after his fight with Glanton, it seems almost certain the star's wattage would pull him straight back.

That could make this move to Las Vegas more of a speed hump than a road block for the Australian - but he will also have plenty to consider too.

Few promoters will be able to match the payday that Zuffa will - and with boxers facing a set shelf life in the ring, the star will need to sort his priorities.

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