Zuffa Boxing has bagged its biggest signing, by far, to date.
The upstart promotional company announced that lineal, Ring and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia has joined its roster. Both parties confirmed the news on Friday, though with details forthcoming regarding his debut under the Zuffa banner.
“Welcome to the Zuffa Boxing family,” promoter Dana White extended to the unbeaten champ.
Tasman Boxing, Opetaia's primary and home promoter, confirmed the signing is a partnership with Zuffa, along with Goldstar Promotions and manager Spencer Brown.
"Jai belongs on the biggest stages against the biggest names," Tasman CEO Mick Francis told BoxingScene. "This partnership puts him exactly there."
Opetaia, 29-0 (23 KOs) – a Sydney native now based in Australia’s Gold Coast – is coming off a three-win campaign in 2025, all of them inside the distance and versus unbeaten opposition. In his most recent start, the 30-year-old southpaw violently knocked out IBF mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara on December 6 at Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Australia.
That bout was originally due to take place last January, but Cinkara suffered an ankle injury during training camp and had to withdraw. He was replaced by David Nyika, whom Opetaia blasted out in the fourth round, also on the Gold Coast.
Wedged in between was a fifth-round drubbing of undefeated Claudio Squeo. Opetaia was unable to suppress his frustration during the pre-fight build-up, openly admitting that the opponent wasn’t his first choice but that he was unable to secure the division’s other titlists in the ring.
He has yet to give up on his quest to fully unify the cruiserweight division and hopes his new promotional team will aid his cause.
“I’m signed with Zuffa Boxing now, pumped for the future,” Opetaia said in a personal video confirming the union. “Exciting times. Let’s get these big fights over the line – unifications, undisputed. Let’s go.”
It remains to be seen if Opetaia’s continued desire to collect all the hardware is carried out, given Zuffa’s disinterest in working with the sanctioning bodies.
Zuffa has its first three dates lined up for its new series on Paramount+, all to stream live from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
Callum Walsh and Carlos Ocampo will meet in a 10-round junior middleweight affair atop “Zuffa Boxing 01” on January 23. The same venue will then host a February 1 show, though further details – including its main event – have yet to be revealed. Zuffa Boxing 03 will take place on February 14, with heavyweights Efe Ajagba and Charles Martin headlining the show.
None of the signees thus far are affiliated with any sanctioning body, in line with Zuffa’s stance to not have the alphabets involved in any of its shows.
For now, Opetaia refuses to let his divisional counterparts – unified WBA/WBO titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (who will face David Benavidez on May 2 in Las Vegas, though promotional and streaming details were not yet confirmed) and WBC belt holder Noel Mikaeljan – off the hook.
Opetaia is currently in his second tour as IBF titlist but has been the division’s recognized lineal and RING champion since his July 2022 points win over Mairis Briedis.
He made just one defense of the IBF belt during his first reign, which ended outside the ring. Opetaia was stripped for facing unranked Ellis Zorro on a December 2023 Riyadh Season show instead of his mandatory with Briedis in a rematch.
The belt remained vacant through May 2024, when Opetaia-Briedis II made its way back on to the boxing calendar. Opetaia again prevailed via unanimous decision and has since added four title defenses – all by knockout. In addition to his 2025 run, Opetaia took out Jack Massey in the sixth round of their October 2024 meeting in Riyadh.
Prior to his 2015 pro debut, Opetaia represented Australia as a 16-year-old during the 2012 London Olympics – the youngest-ever boxer from his nation to compete at that level.
