Jai Opetaia has been stripped of the IBF cruiserweight championship for a second time.
The IBF issued a statement on Monday confirming that Opetaia has been relieved of the championship following his involvement in the March 8 bout with Brandon Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight championship. The IBF withdrew its sanction of the fight three days prior and cited that it was misled that Zuffa's championship would be little more than an item that was "characterized as a trophy or token of recognition" and not eligible for a unification bout.
The fight went on and the IBF had the opportunity to strip Opetaia of its title and declare it as vacant. The Australian was also stripped of the title in 2023, when he fought Ellis Zorro instead of his mandatory opponent, Mairis Briedis.
Opetaia defeated Glanton by a wide unanimous decision to claim the Zuffa World Cruiserweight Championship and hoped that the IBF would reconsider its position. However, after refunding Opetaia $73,000 in sanctioning fees, the IBF held a board of directors meeting on March 19 and voted to move forward with stripping Opetaia.
"The IBF wishes Jai Opetaia continued success in his career," the IBF said in a statement. "He rose through the IBF rankings to become World Champion, one of the highest achievements in a fighter's career. As noted in an earlier press release regarding this situation, the IBF's rules don't always yield the preferred or popular outcome, but they provide structure and transparency, serving not just the champion but also those waiting for the opportunity to fight for the title."
The title is now vacant.
