Australia’s Jai Opetaia has made a statement on the global stage, winning the inaugural Zuffa world cruiserweight championship with an impressive performance against Brandon Glanton. The 30-year-old cruised to a dominant unanimous decision victory in Nevada, extending his undefeated professional record to 30-0.
In what was his first fight on American soil, Opetaia demonstrated his skill and composure, earning all three judges’ scores of 119-106. Despite the win, Opetaia’s victory comes with some uncertainty over his IBF cruiserweight title, as the governing body refused to sanction the bout. However, Opetaia remains undeterred in his pursuit of unifying the cruiserweight division.
“I’m chasing the belts,” Opetaia said after his win, making it clear he’s not letting the controversy or online distractions divert his focus. “I’ve been stripped once before, I’ve been stripped again. I’ll get the belt back, and I’ll become undisputed.”
While Opetaia didn’t add to his knockout tally of 23, his performance was nonetheless dominant. Powerful uppercuts and precise strikes kept Glanton at bay throughout the fight. Glanton, who struggled to land any meaningful offense, was penalized for holding and low blows in both the sixth and eighth rounds.
Despite facing adversity, Glanton showed resilience and took Opetaia’s best shots, managing to avoid a knockout in the final round despite a brutal left hand from the Australian. With this victory, Opetaia firmly places himself at the top of the cruiserweight division, as he sets his sights on unifying the belts and securing the status of undisputed champion.