“We’re chasing undisputed. That is my dream. Take a look at the final couple of undisputed fighters. You’ve acquired [Terence] Crawford, you’ve acquired [Oleksandr] Usyk, legends of the game.
“I would like my identify up there like that.”
Opetaia presently holds the IBF cruiserweight championship however may face disciplinary motion if the sanctioning physique refuses to acknowledge the Glanton bout, which is scheduled to crown the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight titleholder. Studies circulated this week claiming the IBF had instructed him to decide on between defending its belt or preventing for the brand new title.
The Australian rejected these claims and insisted the state of affairs has been misreported.
“False! I need to work with the IBF, you already know. And so they’re not dominated out. I wanna develop into undisputed. And except the IBF bounce on board and work with us, man, my desires develop into a fantasy.”
Opetaia additionally addressed hypothesis surrounding the negotiations.
“Simply don’t hearken to all the things you learn on the web, it’s best to know that, bro. Persons are all the time leaping to conclusions.
“Individuals simply need to make out like they know [what’s going on], so everybody clicks on their factor. They don’t know st, bro! They truthfully have no idea st. That could be a totally made-up state of affairs.”
The cruiserweight division nonetheless runs by way of the established sanctioning our bodies. To develop into undisputed, Opetaia should nonetheless accumulate the WBA, WBC and WBO belts alongside the IBF title he already holds.
If the IBF finally refuses to sanction the Glanton struggle, Opetaia may lose his belt. That call would complicate the rapid cruiserweight title image whereas the division waits to see whether or not Zuffa’s belt construction can coexist with the prevailing championship system.
Opetaia vs Glanton Struggle Particulars:
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026Location: Meta APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (UFC/Zuffa facility)
Begin Instances (principal card; approximate):
Las Vegas (PT): 6:00 PMNew York (ET): 9:00 PMLondon (GMT): 2:00 AM (Monday, March 9)
