Undefeated cruiserweight Jai Opetaia, who holds a professional record of 30 victories including 23 knockouts, has launched a lawsuit in the United States. The Australian boxer aims to force the IBF to restore his status as world champion, arguing that the organization acted illegally when it stripped him of his title following his involvement with the promotional group Zuffa Boxing.
Filed in the US District Court for the District of Nevada, the lawsuit seeks the reinstatement of his championship, financial damages, and a court order to prevent the IBF from crowning another fighter while the dispute is ongoing. The IBF has declined to provide a statement at this time. The legal complaint alleges that multiple governing bodies, including the WBC, have conspired to freeze Opetaia out of significant matchups.
The conflict originated from Opetaia’s decision to fight Brandon Glanton in Las Vegas under the Zuffa Boxing banner. Although the IBF initially cleared the event and accepted a $73,000 sanctioning fee, it rescinded its approval less than two days before the match, claiming the event functioned as a title unification due to the presence of a Zuffa championship belt. Opetaia maintains the Zuffa belt was merely a promotional token and that he was coerced into a choice between losing significant earnings or facing the loss of his IBF title.
By choosing to compete, Opetaia secured a unanimous decision victory but was subsequently stripped of his championship. The lawsuit suggests this was part of an industry-wide effort to penalize fighters for associating with Zuffa Boxing, an organization founded by UFC president Dana White that aims to challenge established boxing promotion structures.
