Boxer Jai Opetaia has launched legal action in the United States in a bid to force the International Boxing Federation (IBF) to reinstate his cruiserweight world title.
The Australian claims the sanctioning body acted unlawfully by stripping him of his belt following his first fight under the Zuffa Boxing promotion.
According to the BBC, Opetaia filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Nevada seeking to have his title reinstated and recover damages and legal costs.
The complaint also names representatives from sanctioning bodies the WBC, WBA and WBO.
The BBC reports the 19-page complaint lodged by Opetaia states that rival governing bodies discouraged champions from facing him, noting David Benavidez’s decision not to pursue a fight after Opetaia was stripped of his belt.
It also alleges the WBC threatened to strip Noel Mikaelian if he agreed to face the Australian instead.
“The conspirators and, most recently, the WBC have taken steps to freeze out Jai from other future bouts,” the lawsuit says.
In response, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri told the BBC: “The WBO categorically rejects any suggestion of corruption involving the organisation or any of its officers, officials, employees, or representatives.
“Allegations of this nature are exceedingly serious and should never be advanced without competent evidentiary support.”
The IBF has declined to comment on the matter simply stating: “We will release a statement when it is appropriate.”
The whole saga stems from the 31-year-old Aussie’s decision to sign with Zuffa Boxing, a divisive new promotion launched by UFC president Dana White and TKO.
After signing with the promotion, Opetaia won his first fight in dominant fashion against Brandon Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight belt in Las Vegas in March.
However, that fight caused a ripple effect across the boxing.
The IBF stripped Opetaia (30-0, 23 KO) of his belt days after his Zuffa debut, characterising his bout with Glanton as an unsanctioned unification fight.
However, Opetaia claims in his lawsuit that the bout was only ceremonial in nature, not an attempt to bypass title sanctioning by IBF or professional boxing’s other three sanctioning bodies.
The lawsuit states that the IBF raised no objections in the days before the event but was upset by the title-like promotion of the fight.
As a result, according to Uncrowned, Opetaia states that he “is seeking reinstatement as IBF cruiserweight champion, damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and an injunction preventing the sanctioning body from naming a new cruiserweight champion while the litigation is pending.”
Opetaia also claims that “evidence supporting this conspiracy exists in group text messages and WhatsApp conversations.”
The lawsuit further alleges the IBF’s actions were “the product of co-ordinated, industry-wide collusion designed to penalise Jai for signing with Zuffa Boxing and to deter other athletes from doing the same”.
Speaking about the lawsuit, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn – who has been named in the legal action – blamed Zuffa Boxing for placing Opetaia in the middle of the legal battle and said he would not tolerate any suggestions that Matchroom had acted improperly.
“I’m sorry for Jai Opetaia because not only has he been mugged off from Zuffa Boxing on the IBF, now they’re making Jai Opetaia be the scapegoat and put everything on him,” Hearn said to iFL TV.
“This is not about Jai Opetaia. Zuffa, in my opinion, have made Jai do this, and this is a Zuffa fight.”
Hearn revealed that Opetaia’s representatives had already received a legal letter from Matchroom.
“I’ve instructed my lawyers today to write to his lawyers and let him know you withdraw me from that complaint, you retract any statement, or I will sue you for defamation because you don’t talk about me like that,” Hearn said.
“Not in this sport and not in the way we do business. We have a reputation of over 40 years which is completely squeaky clean across all sport.”
Hearn added that he believes Matchroom has been drawn into the legal proceedings due to him questioning how boxing’s sanctioning bodies would respond to Zuffa Boxing’s plans for its own championship.
“It’s because I made a comment where I said these governing bodies are going to fight back. They’re not going to stand for Zuffa coming out and saying, ‘We don’t want to work with the governing bodies,’” Hearn continued.
“I’ve got nothing to do with the IBF. I’ve got nothing to do with Jai Opetaia. But you want to start talking about me in circles, you’ll pay the price.”