Zuffa Boxing has been gradually building its shows and roster, with one of their top acquisitions being IBF (International Boxing Federation) & RING Magazine cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. Soon after, it was announced that Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) would face Brandon Glanton (21-3, 18 KOs) on March 8, and that it would be for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing title. Given Dana White’s previous comments about the sanctioning bodies, where does this leave the IBF, which currently has Opetaia as its champion?
What Will The IBF Do As They Stay In The Spotlight For Better or Worse?
It’s been a tough few days for the IBF after they had to make an unpopular decision. On Saturday morning, following the mandatory second day weigh-in for IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins vs. Oscar Duarte, the champion became sick and had to withdraw from the fight. Hitchins lost the chance to defend his title against a tough opponent, and Duarte missed his opportunity for a title, with both fighters missing out on the payday.
To make matters worse, Dan Rafael tweeted “News: The IBF ordered 140 titlist Richardson Hitchins to make a mandatory vs. Lindolfo Delgado. They have 30 days to negotiate or a purse bid will be scheduled. It means Hitchins-Oscar Duarte won’t be rescheduled after Hitchins withdrew hours before the fight Saturday after vomiting several times after breakfast. #boxing”
Shortly after I reposted with the comment ‘This is wild,’ Jake Donovan from Boxing Scene clarified the situation after social media exploded over the post. “Hitchins had a limited window to make a voluntary defense and blew it when he got sick at the 11th hour. Same exact situation as Willibaldo Garcia-Kenshiro Teraji. Awful for Teraji & Duarte, but the mandatories are now overdue in both instances (Hitchins’ by March, anyway).” Although that decision by the IBF isn’t widely popular, they tend to stick to their rules about mandatories more than the other sanctioning bodies.
Now they find themselves in another tough spot where they must make a difficult decision. Their champion, signed with Zuffa Boxing, will fight for the inaugural Zuffa title on March 8. In an interview with Stephen A. Smith on January 9, White said, “I’ve been talking smack about boxing for a long time and it’s time to put my money where my mouth is.” I’m gonna get rid of the sanctioning organizations. The best will fight the best. We’re going to sign all the young, up-and-coming guys.” This wasn’t the first time White drew the “line in the sand” concerning the sanctioning bodies, so it was unusual to see Opetaia not only sign with Zuffa Boxing but also state in the announcement that he wanted to unify the titles. White would later soften his stance but still maintained the goal of the Zuffa title being the end-all, be-all.
It was a conflicting message that added to the confusion about Zuffa Boxing’s mission to create an entity of its own without relying on anything outside of it. During a recent media scrum, when asked about the IBF title, Opetaia said, “That’s my world title (IBF). I spoke to the IBF that is here today. I’m proud to hold that IBF belt. I’m willing to fight for it. I don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. I don’t understand the ins and outs that much. It becomes a bit of a sticky situation but I’m focused. I’ve got a job to do and I’ve got a fight to win.”
FightsATW contacted the IBF to determine if they would recognize this as a unification (IBF and Zuffa titles) or if they would see it only as an IBF title fight, which would require a second-day weigh-in with a maximum weight of 214 pounds. I also inquired whether there had been any discussions with Zuffa Boxing about whether the IBF title would be recognized on the broadcast and if their inspector would be permitted in the ring, as is traditional for fights involving their title.
The IBF responded by saying, “The IBF is still deliberating on the entirety of this situation. We are not prepared to make a public statement at the present time” (Editor’s Note: FightsATW will provide the IBF’s ruling if they decide to make a statement). In short, they haven’t resolved everything with the fight just over ten days away. FightsATW reached out to Zuffa Boxing for comment, and the story will be updated if they provide any statements regarding their involvement or lack thereof with the IBF.
How this situation is handled will be crucial for what the immediate future holds for Zuffa Boxing. Will they soften their tough stance toward the sanctioning bodies and let the IBF operate normally? Will the IBF yield to Zuffa and forgo a broadcast mention and on-site inspector, or stand firm on being present—risking stripping Opetaia if its terms aren’t met?
FightsATW will continue to monitor this story as it develops.
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