Australian IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia has made a shock move to join Dana White’s new boxing promotion Zuffa Boxing.
The announcement came via Zuffa Boxing’s X account, with a video of Opetaia confirming the signing.
“I’m with Zuffa Boxing now,” Opetaia said. “I’m pumped for the future. Exciting times, man. Let’s get these big fights over the line: unification and undisputed too. Let’s go.”
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It’s unclear if Opetaia would be competing exclusively on Zuffa Boxing cards or if he will be allowed to continue fighting for world titles for other sanctioning bodies.
Opetaia, 30, has voiced frustration with being unable to land a unification fight with the division’s other champions.
Noel Mikaelian holds the WBC title while Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is the WBO and WBA champion.
Jai Opetaia. Getty
Ramirez will defend his unified titles against David Benavidez in May.
Opetaia is widely regarded as the best cruiserweight in the sport and is coming off a brutal eighth-round knockout of Huseyin Cinkara in December, his fourth consecutive knockout win.
He has successfully defended his belt five times.