The most important signing but for Zuffa Boxing takes the primary stage on Sunday when the world’s consensus high cruiserweight, Jai Opetaia, makes his promotional debut towards power-punching Brandon Glanton in the primary occasion of Zuffa Boxing 04. The 12-round battle will crown the primary Zuffa Boxing world champion within the promotion’s quick historical past.
Opetaia (29-0, 23 KO) is on his second stint as IBF cruiserweight champion and is trying so as to add the honour of being the primary fighter to ever maintain a Zuffa Boxing championship.
Nevertheless, the IBF facet took a detour after Friday’s press convention. Regardless of the belt being current on the dais and Opetaia saying that any points with sanctioning the battle for his title to be defended have been resolved, the IBF put out a press release saying they weren’t sanctioning the battle. As a substitute, the IBF says it’s going to strip Opetaia of his title for taking part within the occasion.
Opetaia actually established himself as an elite heavyweight with a 2022 win over Mairis Briedis. Whereas a win over a longtime high fighter like Briedis was already a powerful accomplishment, the truth that Opetaia managed the feat together with his jaw damaged in two totally different locations instantly constructed an aura across the Australian.
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Opetaia would defeat Briedis in a rematch three fights later, and did not must endure by means of an enormous harm to take action the second time round. Because the second Briedis win, Opetaia has rattled off 4 knockout victories whereas unsuccessfully attempting to find the largest sport within the division.
Whereas unification bouts and fights towards the remainder of the elite of the division have eluded Opetaia, there has by no means been a doubt about his high quality as a fighter.
In Glanton (21-3, 18 KO), Opetaia faces a fighter with blistering energy. Glanton has additionally by no means been stopped in his skilled profession, making for a matchup of two males with heavy arms and strong chins — at the very least so far of their careers.
Glanton has come up quick in three of his profession bouts, dropping a 2022 cut up resolution to David Gentle, a 2023 majority resolution to Soslan Asbarov and a 2025 unanimous resolution to former WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith.
Regardless of these three losses, Glanton has proven loads of abilities, together with in his most up-to-date battle, a stoppage win over former unified title challenger Marcus Browne. Glanton’s gritty cut up resolution win over Efetobor Apochi in 2021 stands out as a battle that proves the depths to which Glanton will dig to search out victory, even when the knockout does not come.
Let’s take a better take a look at the remainder of the battle card for Sunday earlier than attending to a prediction and skilled choose on the primary occasion under.
Zuffa Boxing 04 battle card, odds
Odds through DraftKings Sportsbook
- Jai Opetaia -1400 vs. Brandon Glanton +800, inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title
- Ricardo Salas -240 vs. Jesus Saracho +185, welterweights
- Adan Palma -215 vs. Pablo Rubio +165, featherweights
- Shinard Bunch -140 vs. Vlad Panin +110, welterweights
- Joshua Juarez -200 vs. Jardae Anderson +155, heavyweights
- Jaycob Ramos -150 vs. Ethan Perez +120, featherweights
- Brady Ochoa vs. Adrian Serrano, lightweights
- Emiliano Alvarado -2500 vs. Erick Rosado +1000, featherweights
The place to look at Zuffa Boxing 04
Date: March 8 | Location: Meta APEX — Las Vegas
Prelims start at 6 p.m. ET
Predominant card begins at 9 p.m. ET
Watch reside: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as little as $8.99 per 30 days)
Prediction
Glanton is a troublesome fighter with good energy. He is confirmed he can grasp with some good fighters. The issue is, Opetaia will not be fighter, he is a terrific one. Glanton is a high 15 fighter across the tier of fighters Opetaia has dealt with nicely in his profession. In fact, if Glanton lands a number of heavy pictures, it may considerably alter the feel of the battle, if not finish it outright.
Finally, Opetaia is solely the higher fighter — one of the best on this planet within the division, no much less. And it’s probably too tall a activity for Glanton to abruptly step up his sport to a degree he is by no means proven earlier than at 34 years outdated and 24 fights into an expert profession. Opetaia wins on Sunday, however Glanton goes to make him work for it. Decide: Jai Opetaia through TKO10
