Opetaia stripped of world title.
It has been announced that the International Boxing Federation (IBF) have officially stripped Jai Opetaia of their championship for the second time.
The cruiserweight powerhouse from Queensland originally won the organisation’s belt with an upset victory over Mairis Briedis in 2022.
On that occasion, Opetaia battled through a badly broken jaw to announce himself to the boxing world on home turf, a victory that also won him The Ring title.
Since then, Opetaia has been seen as the divisional kingpin, though it has been the furthest thing from smooth sailing for the feared Australian.
After a destructive defence over Britain’s Jordan Thompson, Opetaia was stripped of his IBF title in 2023 after choosing to fight another Briton in Ellis Zorro over fulfilling his mandatory in a rematch with Briedis.
Nonetheless, Opetaia defended The Ring championship in a one-round blowout of Zorro, then promptly won the IBF title back against Briedis in his next fight.
Opetaia defended his title on four violent occasions in his second reign as champion before signing to Zuffa Boxing, Dana White’s new league that promised to get rid of the governing bodies’ belts.
After a period of confusion, the IBF decided it would not sanction Opetaia’s fight with Brandon Glanton, which was put together for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title.
Opetaia would beat Glanton and win the Zuffa belt, though his status as IBF champion remained unclear. And after a passionate post-fight speech from the two-time beltholder, it was revealed that the IBF would still deliberate on whether Opetaia would keep their championship.
However, it has today been confirmed that the IBF have indeed chosen to strip Opetaia, who loses his world title for a second time without ever having suffered a professional loss.
It is expected that the vacant title will be put on the line between the two highest-ranked contenders, who are Britain’s former WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith and Mateusz Masternak (who fights in an IBF eliminator this April against current British champion Viddal Riley).
🚨 BREAKING: Have confirmed that the IBF has (once again) relieved Jai Opetaia of his cruiserweight title reign.
Stay of execution was granted through March 19, afer which point Board of Directors voted to declare the title vacant.— Jake Donovan (@JakeNDaBox) March 23, 2026
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