Did The IBF Contradict Itself With Their Ruling on The Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven Fight?

The IBF (International Boxing Federation) is in the news again, having issued a public statement on the status of Oleksandr Usyk as their heavyweight champion and on their position regarding his unsanctioned fight against Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Giza, Egypt. But did their ruling contradict how they handled the situation involving Ring Magazine cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia?

Let’s first take a look at Usyk’s situation. In November, he was stripped of the WBO title for refusing to face the sanctioning organization’s mandatory challenger, first Joseph Parker and then, after Parker was stopped in October, Fabio Wardley. Usyk then elected to take this unsanctioned fight with Verhoeven, which was formally announced in February. In March, during their annual convention, the WBC ruled that they approved this fight as a voluntary defense for Usyk. Recently, the WBA approved that the fight would be considered a voluntary defense if Usyk wins, but if he loses, the title status would be reviewed by the sanctioning organization’s committee.

On Thursday, the IBF issued the following statement:

“On April 16, 2026, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) received a letter from John Hornewer on behalf of IBF/WBA/WBC Unified Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk requesting that the IBF permit Usyk to participate in an unsanctioned contest against Rico Verhoeven on May 23, 2026, in Giza, Egypt.

Pursuant to IBF Rule 5.H., “An unsanctioned contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn. 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.”

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has sanctioned the Usyk vs. Verhoeven bout and indicated that it will enforce its mandatory bout next. Based on the rotation system, the World Boxing Association (WBA) mandatory bout would follow the WBC mandatory. Accordingly, the IBF determined that there are no affected boxers, as the IBF acknowledges the rotation system among the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO.

 On April 29, 2026, the IBF Board of Directors convened by video conference and determined that Usyk’s exception request should be granted, subject to the following conditions: 

• If Usyk loses on May 23, 2026, the IBF Heavyweight title will be declared vacant immediately.
• If Usyk wins on May 23, 2026, the IBF will acknowledge the WBC’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter.
• If the WBA grants a special permit, the IBF will acknowledge the WBA’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter.

The IBF reserves the right to amend the mandatory date in the event of substantial delays in the rotation.”

Wasn’t Jai Opetaia Stripped For The Same Rule Cited in Oleksandr Usyk’s Statement?

This is where things get confusing, and the lack of consistency has allowed organizations like Zuffa Boxing to point out inconsistencies in its rules. On March 23, the IBF made a final ruling on the Opetaia situation, stripping him of the title. The following is an excerpt from that press release:

“Despite these representations, it was made clear at the March 6 press conference in Las Vegas that the Opetaia vs. Glanton bout would be for the “Zuffa World Cruiserweight Championship.” The IBF notified Gibbons that sanction had been withdrawn for Opetaia vs. Glanton following the press conference. As a result, the bout was an Unsanctioned Contest under IBF Rule 5.H, which provides that: ”°An Unsanctioned Contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn. 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.” Sanction fees paid to the IBF by Gibbons on March 6 were returned on March 7.

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. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board voted to vacate the title pursuant to Rule 5.H. The IBF Cruiserweight title is vacant.”

So the IBF gave Usyk a pass but not Opetaia, citing the same rule in their responses to both fighters. I’m not saying one course of action is better than the other. What I am saying is that consistency is required from these sanctioning organizations. So if the latest is to leave Usyk as the world champion as long as he wins, then shouldn’t Opetaia still be the IBF cruiserweight champion?

I get that the Zuffa Boxing title is the key difference here, because different things were communicated about whether it was a trophy or an actual title. The IBF would initially sanction the fight and then, days before it, remove the sanction. But their reason for stripping Opetaia would be Rule 5.H, which, in the end, is the same scenario as Usyk. He’s fighting in an unsanctioned fight, so if the IBF is consistent, shouldn’t they have stripped Usyk as well? It could be noted that Usyk’s team requested an exemption, while Opetaia’s didn’t.  But did the latter have to, as the fight had already been sanctioned? It wasn’t until after the press conference (two days before the fight) that the IBF removed the sanction. Was Opetaia’s team supposed to request an exemption at that point, and what would it be for? The way the Zuffa title was presented? The IBF made their decision the minute their official jumped on the plane back to the East Coast after the press conference: that Opetaia would no longer be considered their champion.

This is the kind of inconsistency that has frustrated fighters, the media, and fans alike over the years. One can only hope that things improve before they get worse for boxing’s sanctioning organizations.

Abraham Gonzalez

Abraham Gonzalez is a 2x award-winning writer, International Boxing Hall of Fame voter, founder and publisher of FightsATW. His journalistic work has been published and used across several platforms, including online, network TV, and promotional companies. He is an alumnus of an American Public University and a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). Abraham was the Managing Editor for NYFights, Big Fight Weekend, and contributed to The Ring Magazine, FanSidedMMA, and ProBoxTV.

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