Boxing
IBF withdraws sanction for Opetaia-Glanton after Zuffa announces title defense
Published
7 months agoon
In a dramatic turnaround that took place in one day, the International Boxing Federation has officially withdrawn its sanction for Jai Opetaia’s cruiserweight title defense against Brandon Glanton.
The withdrawal came hours after Zuffa Boxing posted on social media that the fight would feature the IBF cruiserweight championship, and after Opetaia himself confirmed at a press conference on Friday that the IBF belt was being defended. This announcement and withdrawal appear to have occurred in the same news cycle, ending a week of growing confusion surrounding the status of the title.
The fight, which will headline Zuffa Boxing 04 on Sunday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas, will now only feature the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight championship and The Ring magazine title. Opetaia (29-0, 23 KO) still holds the IBF belt as of this writing, but the sanctioning body’s rules could force an immediate vacancy. In accordance with Principle 5.H. An IBF champion who competes in an unsanctioned competition within the recommended weight limit forfeits the title regardless of the result.
A week of mixed signals
The timeline tells the story. Earlier this week This was reported by Salvador Rodriguez from ESPN that the IBF gave Opetaia an ultimatum: defend the IBF title or fight for the Zuffa belt, but not both. The IBF refused to allow his championship to appear alongside the newly created promotional title. An IBF spokesman said the organization was still considering the matter and would not make a public statement. Opetaia responded by completely denying the reports. He was unequivocal at the press conference. At another point in the week, he told The Sun that the reports were fabricated. Then on Friday, Zuffa released the IBF title as part of the fight settlement. A few hours later, the IBF withdrew the sanctions.
It is unclear whether Zuffa’s statement forced the IBF’s hand or if the timing was coincidental. It is clear that the sanctioning body made its decision after Zuffa publicly stated that the title was at stake.
What’s going on with the belt?
The IBF withdrawal raises an immediate question: Will Opetaia be stripped of her title? The principle is clear. If the champion fights in his weight class in an unsanctioned fight, the title is declared vacant – win or lose. Opetaia has been through this before. At the end of 2023, the IBF stripped him of his eligibility to fight Ellis Zorro on the Riyad season card, instead facing mandatory challenger Mairis Briedis. He regained the belt six months later with a unanimous decision over Briedis in May 2024 and has since made four successful defenses.
If the IBF strips Opetaia again, the sanctioning body is expected to order a fight between the highest-ranked available contenders to fill the vacancy. This reshuffles the cruiserweight division at a critical time. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez will defend his WBA and WBO titles against David Benavidez on May 2 at T-Mobile Arena. Opetaia targeted the winner to gain undisputed status. Without the IBF belt, this fight – if it happens – would be a unification fight rather than an undisputed coronation.
The bigger picture
The withdrawal is the clearest signal yet that the IBF – and potentially other major sanctioning bodies – will not passively co-exist with Zuffa’s parallel title structure. As BoxingInsider detailed last week, the conflict has always come down to whether the IBF will enforce its own rules or look the other way. The answer came on Friday and it was execution.
The contradiction at the heart of the Zuffa Boxing model remains unresolved. Dana White has openly stated that he wants to eliminate sanctioning bodies. His most significant player needs these bodies to achieve his intended career goal. Opetaia has repeatedly stated that the reason he is fighting is to become the undisputed cruiserweight champion. This requires holding all four major titles at once – IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO – and that has become much more arduous.
Sunday’s Zuffa Boxing 04 main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+, and Opetaia is the bulky favorite to become the promotion’s first champion. He will almost certainly win. Whether he wakes up on Monday still holding the IBF belt is a completely different fight – and one that neither he nor Zuffa Boxing has won.
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Boxing
Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix
Published
2 hours agoon
September 24, 2026
Principality Stadium secures the British heavyweight fight, with a London press conference next week and the undercard to follow.
Anthony Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) and Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) will fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11. Netflix will broadcast the full event exclusively after organizers secured a British venue for the heavyweights’ first professional meeting.
Turki Alalshikh announced the fight, and Joshua and Fury are scheduled to attend a London press conference next week. The supporting card will be announced later; no undercard opponents were named in the supplied announcement.
The December date replaces the November plan discussed earlier in negotiations. Wembley had been Joshua’s preferred destination, but Cardiff secured the event following talks over whether the fight would remain in Britain or move to the United States.
Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn insisted on a UK venue. His contract included that requirement, and their position held despite discussions involving New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Dana White said: “For more than a decade, boxing fans have been clamoring for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring. On December 11, two of the biggest heavyweights of this generation finally collide and the winner will take a significant place in heavyweight history.”
Netflix to broadcast the full Cardiff card
Netflix’s preference for an evening American broadcast drove the push to stage the fight across the Atlantic. Madison Square Garden emerged as the leading US option before negotiations returned to Britain.
Cardiff keeps the contest on British soil, with a late opening bell expected to accommodate viewers in the United States.
The main event is expected around 1 a.m. UK timealthough the exact time has not been confirmed. If that schedule holds. A 1 a.m. GMT start would put the main event at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, December 11 for viewers on America’s east coast.
The fight is expected to take place beneath Principality Stadium’s retractable roof.
London press conference scheduled for next week
Alalshikh welcomed the agreement after months of negotiations over the event.
“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together. This will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history, I am very happy to make this fight happen for the fans,” he said.
Joshua and Fury previously signed a two-fight agreement in 2021. That booking collapsed after an arbitration ruling required Fury to face Deontay Wilder again.
Their December meeting now has a confirmed date, venue and broadcaster. Next week’s press conference will bring both fighters to London, with the remaining card and precise event timetable still to follow.

About the author
Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff
Published
7 hours agoon
September 24, 2026
Manny Pacquiao against Shakur Stevenson remains under discussion for the proposed Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury card in Cardiff. It would give the event a second major fight, but neither Pacquiao nor Stevenson has received a bout agreement.
BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire reports that two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the matchup as part of a “double main event.” December 11 is the date under consideration at Principality Stadium, with December 18 also possible. Pacquiao adviser Jas Mathur told BoxingScene that Pacquiao’s financial terms are still being negotiated.
That leaves a great deal to settle before anyone can call this a fight. The Cardiff show itself has yet to be formally announced, and moving Joshua-Fury from the previously discussed Madison Square Garden setting means assembling the rest of the card around a different venue and date.
Pacquiao-Stevenson would bring two very different attractions to that card. Stevenson, 29, is coming off his January win over Teofimo Lopez and has since signed with Zuffa Boxing. Pacquiao, 47, drew with Mario Barrios in his July 2025 return. His name would draw attention far beyond the usual boxing audience, though the long layoff and age difference would become part of the conversation as soon as the fight was announced.
The proposed pairing also raises a practical question: what weight would they fight at? Pacquiao’s return came at welterweight, while Stevenson’s recent work has been at lighter weights. No weight, number of rounds, or title terms have been announced.
For now, the news is that Pacquiao-Stevenson has survived the reported switch to Cardiff and remains in Netflix’s plans, according to BoxingScene. The decisive development would be agreements reaching both fighters. Until then, it belongs on the list of fights being negotiated, rather than the Joshua-Fury undercard.
Pacquiao turns 48 on December 17. If the fight lands on December 18, Shakur would face him one day after his birthday. Pacquiao won his first world title in 1998, before Shakur turned two.
That age difference makes the matchup a hard sell as a competitive fight. If Shakur wins easily, how much credit does he get for beating a man nearly two decades older? If he boxes his way to a quiet decision, Pacquiao’s name may bring viewers to Netflix, but the fight may give them little reason to watch Shakur again.
Pacquiao’s fame can make this a major event. Turning it into a fight that helps Shakur is another matter. First, both men need to agree to terms; neither has received a bout agreement.
About the author
Boxing News 24 Desk
BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.
Boxing
Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard – Boxing News
Published
12 hours agoon
September 23, 2026
Teofimo Lopez has been offered a slot on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card, which is set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11.
‘The Takeover’ comes off a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero, who he dethroned last month after surviving a genuine scare in round five.
In reality, though, it was a far more convincing win than the scorecards suggested and, despite suffering a one-sided defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January, Lopez proved that he remains a highly-skilled operator at world level.
But while he has expressed an interest in unification matches at 147lbs, particularly one against WBC champion Ryan Garcia, the 29-year-old must first make a mandatory defence and retain his WBA title.
He has, in other words, been ordered to face Jack Catterallwho claimed his WBA ‘Regular’ title by producing arguably a career-best performance to unanimously outpoint Shakhram Giyasov in May.
Lopez, meanwhile, had attempted to swerve his mandatory duty and, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafaelis considering vacating his welterweight belt in pursuit of more lucrative opportunities.
If he is to proceed with the Catterall fight, however, then the three-division world champion could end up featuring on the expected Fury-Joshua card later this year.
Equally, Catterall has taken to social media and acknowledged that, as the champion, Lopez can choose to defend his title on home soil.
“Hey mate [Lopez]you fancy scrapping on the [Fury-Joshua] card? If not don’t worry, I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ.”
Hey mate @TeofimoLopez you fancy scrapping on the fury aj card ? If not don’t worry I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ 🤝 https://t.co/l6tDpimzE9
— Jack Catterall (@jack_catt93) September 22, 2026
According to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, both parties have until October 22 to reach an agreement or risk a purse bid hearing being called.
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