Comments Thread For: IBF pulls sanctioning from Jai Opetaia-Brandon Glanton with Zuffa belt at stake

[VislorTurlough]

It’s all a joke. Egos. Zuffa. IBF. And Opetaia may be the best @ CW, but his defenses have been mostly serious trash. So he’s no victim

[low blows]

Jai's career may as well be in the sewer, it's already in the toilet.

I don't think so he dumped the belt previously to pursue a more lucrative opportunity on a Saudi backed card. This isn't much different as Zuffa is clearly paying more than his old contract with Matchroom.

At the end of the day boxing is about money and making the most money due to the danger of the sport and the long term implications of the dangers.

[JakeTheBoxer]

When will Opetaia fight somebody good?

[Coverdale]

What legislation do they need to invent a belt? Loads of belts have been invented offer the last few years.

Indeed. And plenty of IBF titleholders have held the IBO belt simultaneously. Looks like more IBF nonsense to me.

[Tag, You're Hit]

The Games have started but this is exactly what Zuffa wants. They use Jai Opetaia as their puppet. A guy recognized as the best CRuiser that now got stripped because of the "old rules" of boxing. They will brainwash him since he is quiet slow and they will put out their propaganda machine to win the battle convincing the casuals that the sanctioning bodies are the problem.

The fact is Zuffa made it clear they will not work with any of the 4 and they did not work with the IBF to have this fight sanctioned. The IBF had to do this move but it is a move that was designed by Zuffa and will play into their hands.

Zuffa will take over and in 10 years boxing is dead. But at the end the sanctioning bodiesand the promoters with their different networks are to blame. They allowed a real dictator to enter the game that will brainwash the sheeps and when people wake up it's too late

I don't think Zuffa is going to take over. Established belts and history still matter to boxers and fans. The old guard is still entrenched. Zuffa could end up being a big player or they could end up being the Junior Varsity version of boxing. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. For now, though, I hope Jai is fully pissed at the correct organization, Zuffa, and his team. Because it seems like he was lied to and got a bait and switch.

[Coverdale]

I don't think Zuffa is going to take over. Established belts and history still matter to boxers and fans. The old guard is still entrenched. Zuffa could end up being a big player or they could end up being the Junior Varsity version of boxing. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. For now, though, I hope Jai is fully pissed at the correct organization, Zuffa, and his team. Because it seems like he was lied to and got a bait and switch.

Which fans? Certainly not the casuals who are the target market. The "four belt era" is actually the "9-belt era" coupled with inactivity. The heavyweight champion is about to fight a novelty bout. Completely different landscape.

[VislorTurlough]

IBF was far far better with the bro who was stuffing wads of cash down his trousers on the fire escape as the feds came in

[Tag, You're Hit]

But if he doesn't fight a ring Top 10 guy in the next 2 months, he should be stripped of the Ring title too, in accordance to their rules (if they follow their own rules *roll eyes*)...

...so actually he won't be recognised as the default best Cruiser either. Just Zuffa champion.

When Benavidez beats Zurdo he'll be recognized as the best Cruiserweight because Opetaia's only name is Breidis who was great, but was past his best when he fought Jai and is retired now. Zurdo is basically as accomplished at CW as Jai, and he has two straps. And his overall career has been more impressive than Jai's. So, a win by Benavidez, given the quality of Jai's opponents, should put him just ahead of Jai in my opinion. Likewise, if Zurdo beats Benavidez even though David is jumping up in weight, that should edge Zurdo over Jai.

[Tag, You're Hit]

Which fans? Certainly not the casuals who are the target market. The "four belt era" is actually the "9-belt era" coupled with inactivity. The heavyweight champion is about to fight a novelty bout. Completely different landscape.

I don't consider casuals as fans. People on this forum are fans. Casuals get up for Jake Paul fights and other spectacles. I don't think they're even moved by Zuffa. And I don't think MMA fans care about Zuffa either. They like mixed martial arts and boxing, to the majority of them, is boring.

As for Usyk vs a kickboxer, boxing has always had spectacle fights here and there. Look at Floyd vs McGregor. Drew huge #'s, but boxing fans didn't care about that fight. Even Floyd vs Pacquiao 2 is a spectacle fight. No boxing fan considers it meaningful in any way.

[Coverdale]

I don't consider casuals as fans. People on this forum are fans. Casuals get up for Jake Paul fights and other spectacles. I don't think they're even moved by Zuffa. And I don't think MMA fans care about Zuffa either. They like mixed martial arts and boxing, to the majority of them, is boring.

As for Usyk vs a kickboxer, boxing has always had spectacle fights here and there. Look at Floyd vs McGregor. Drew huge #'s, but boxing fans didn't care about that fight. Even Floyd vs Pacquiao 2 is a spectacle fight. No boxing fan considers it meaningful in any way.

But they're the ones who pay for events mostly. Most of the "fans" here openly brag about streaming events.

Either way, the sanctioning bodies are long overdue being replaced. Any symbolic value they held ended with the ridiculous interim/secondary era. What we need is a regular schedule and meritocracy. Not endless concessions so that a US or Mexican fighter can call himself 'undisputed' while fighting once a year.