Opetaia to lose IBF title if he fights for Zuffa belt

Opetaia to lose IBF title if he fights for Zuffa beltImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Opetaia (left) beat Huseyin Cinkara in December to retain his IBF and Ring cruiserweight titlesPublished10 minutes agoJai Opetaia is set to lose his IBF cruiserweight title if he goes ahead with a fight against Brandon Glanton on Sunday.Opetaia is scheduled to fight Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing World Cruiserweight title but the IBF mentioned it has “withdrawn sanction of the optional defence” for its belt.The IBF mentioned that it had initially approved the bout as Opetaia’s team had told them the Zuffa Boxing fight in Las Vegas would not be a unification bout and that any belt awarded would be “characterised as a trophy or token of recognition”.However, it added that following a news conference on Friday, it was “made it clear that the Zuffa World Cruiserweight title would still be contested” and, as the IBF does not recognise Zuffa Boxing, it was now an unsanctioned fight. “For the purpose of unification of titles, the preeminent champions of the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Council (WBC), and the World Boxing Organization (WBO) may be designated as ‘elite contenders’ and may be permitted to fight for the unified title,” mentioned the IBF in a statement.It added: “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contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn.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.”Australian Opetaia, 30, also holds the Ring cruiserweight title.Benn joining Zuffa ‘dagger in the heart’ for Hearn