Zuffa Boxing 04 -- Jai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton: Start time, predictions and more for Sunday showdown

The inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight championship is on the line on Sunday in Las Vegas

The biggest signing yet for Zuffa Boxing takes the main stage on Sunday when the world's consensus top cruiserweight, Jai Opetaia, makes his promotional debut against power-punching Brandon Glanton in the main event of Zuffa Boxing 04. The 12-round fight will crown the first Zuffa Boxing world champion in the promotion's short history.

Opetaia (29-0, 23 KO) is on his second stint as IBF cruiserweight champion and is looking to add the honor of being the first fighter to ever hold a Zuffa Boxing championship.

However, the IBF aspect took a detour after Friday's press conference. Despite the belt being present on the dais and Opetaia saying that any issues with sanctioning the fight for his title to be defended were resolved, the IBF put out a statement saying they were not sanctioning the fight. Instead, the IBF says it will strip Opetaia of his title for participating in the event. 

Opetaia truly established himself as an elite heavyweight with a 2022 win over Mairis Briedis. While a win over an established top fighter like Briedis was already an impressive accomplishment, the fact that Opetaia managed the feat with his jaw broken in two different places immediately built an aura around the Australian.

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