Can Jai Opetaia secure Oleksandr Usyk fight with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing?

Jai Opetaia will hope tonight can mark the start of an exciting chapter in his career, as he makes his debut with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing against Brandon Glanton.

The cruiserweight champion made waves as the promotion's first major signing, but his arrival raised questions over his title holder status with the IBF going forward.

Those fears appear to have been realised, with Opetaia due to be stripped of his crown as he faces Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight championship instead.

Victory over the American is still heavily favoured, while the power of Dana White's organisation could theoretically back the Australian to newfound success elsewhere.

But might that include a step up the divisions, and a mouthwatering clash with former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the Sydneysider this year?

‘I want to move to heavyweight and fight Usyk’ – Opetaia

A move to heavyweight is a path often walked by the best at cruiserweight, and Opetaia does have dreams of competing in boxing’s blue-ribbon division.

Speaking exclusively to DAZN News last year, the 30-year-old made no secret that he was planning a move up after conquering the cruiserweight division.

“I want to move up to heavyweight eventually, but I want these unification fights to become undisputed and then be able to move up there,” Opetaia said.

“I don’t want to go up and down, once I’ve gone to heavyweight, I want to stay at heavyweight.”

When it came to who Opetaia would want to face at heavyweight, there was only one man, in the shape of WBA, WBC and IBF unified champion Usyk.

“That’s the goal," he said. "I’d love to do that. We’ve just got to get these unification fights out of the way.

"Then I’d love to fight Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship. It’s definitely something we’re trying to move forward to.”

Will Opetaia face Usyk in a heavyweight fight?

Unfortunately for Opetaia, his move to Zuffa now appears to have left him in a state of limbo when it comes to his hopes for either division.

First and foremost, a win over Glanton for the Zuffa belt alone is unlikely to greet more than shoulder shrugs than applause for his efforts.

Factor in the IBF's deicsion to withdraw from sanctioning the bout, and Opetaia no longer has a path to unified status, let alone undisputed.

Even if the sport's major governing bodies were to reverse course and recognise Zuffa though, nothing would change for the Australian too.

Besides Efe Ajagba and Charles Martin, there are yet to be any further heavyweight names with the promotion, neither of which will satisfy him.

Unless Opetaia can land a spot on one of the body's mega-events, akin to Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford's bout, he will struggle here.

Usyk has little time left in his professional career too, and free reign to pick his foes. May's clash with Rico Verhoeven in Giza is a prime example.

The Ukrainian commands huge fees whevever he steps in the ring. Zuffa may be able to foot that bill - but would the star want to join them at all?

With the latter in its early infancy, plenty of fighters will be apprehensive about partnering with them, especially after the IBF's actions this week.

Right now, Opetaia’s dream of a heavyweight showdown with Usyk are not possible with Zuffa's current operations and plans to disrupt the order.

First, he must get Glanton out of the way. Then, the Sydneysider will need to think long and hard whether his current promotion is the right way forward.

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