Jai Opetaia dished out a stunning performance to defeat Brandon Glanton and capture the inaugural Zuffa Boxing world cruiserweight championship with a unanimous decision at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday. All three judges scored the bout 119-106 in favor of the Australian southpaw, who controlled the fight from start to finish. Opetaia showcased his power and precision in his first appearance on American soil, winning every round comfortably. Despite the one-sided nature of the fight, he was unable to secure a knockout as Glanton showed remarkable durability and absorbed a heavy amount of punishment.
“It was all right,” Opetaia said as quoted by ESPN. “I knew Brandon was going to be tough as nails. I’m happy I got the win and enter this next chapter as the Zuffa champion.”
— Zuffa_Boxing (@Zuffa_Boxing)
Opetaia improved his record to 30-0 with 23 knockouts, while Glanton fell to 21-4. Throughout the contest, Opetaia repeatedly landed clean power shots to both the head and body. His uppercut became a key weapon after the early rounds, consistently breaking through Glanton’s defense and keeping the American on the back foot.— danawhite (@danawhite)
According to ESPN, Glanton struggled to generate offense but remained determined, continuing to press forward even as he absorbed a steady stream of punches. The bout also featured several penalties. Glanton was deducted points in the sixth round for excessive holding and again in the eighth for a low blow. Opetaia was also docked a point in the 11th round for holding, though by that stage the outcome was already clear.
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— Zuffa_Boxing (@Zuffa_Boxing)
The 10th round saw Opetaia unleash one of his most intense attacks, landing a barrage of hard shots that briefly had Glanton in trouble. In the final round, Opetaia chased the stoppage and hurt Glanton with a sharp straight left and combinations, but Glanton managed to survive until the final bell.
— Zuffa_Boxing (@Zuffa_Boxing)
Outside the ring, the fight drew attention due to tension with the International Boxing Federation (IBF), which had declined to sanction the bout despite Opetaia entering as its cruiserweight champion, reported ESPN. Nonetheless, Opetaia reaffirmed his goal afterward: becoming the undisputed champion of the cruiserweight division.
“I’m chasing the belts,” Opetaia said as quoted by ESPN. “I know there’s been a lot of white noise and stuff. A lot of stuff on social media, but I’m just hoping it gets worked out, and we can still chase that goal. I have not lost track of it, and I never have. I’ve been stripped once before. I’ve been stripped again. I’ll get the belt back, and I’ll become undisputed.”
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