IBF Lifts Sanction for Jai Opetaia Fight
Hours after Jai Opetaia announced his IBF cruiserweight title defense against Brandon Glanton on Sunday, and his participation for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing championship, the IBF has withdrawn its sanction for the fight. The IBF, through a statement issued Friday night, explained that it withdrew its support for the fight after being misled into believing that the Zuffa Boxing championship would simply be a symbolic recognition, described as a “trophy” or “token”. In a press conference in Las Vegas on Friday, Opetaia had stated that the IBF and Zuffa Boxing titles would be on the line, which would imply a unification fight. However, Zuffa Boxing is not a sanctioning entity recognized by the IBF and does not comply with the mandatory regulations followed by the organization.If Opetaia decides to go ahead with the fight, he would be stripped of the title for the second time. The first time was in 2023, when he fought Ellis Zorro instead of his mandatory opponent, Mairis Briedis. Opetaia signed with Zuffa Boxing in January, with the intention of seeking undisputed status and also competing for his inaugural title.An unsanctioned fight is a fight that the IBF has not formally approved or whose sanction has been formally withdrawn. If a champion participates in an unsanctioned fight within their weight limit, the title will be declared vacant, regardless of whether the champion wins or loses the fight.
IBF Statement
