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Opetaia defeats Glanton for Zuffa’s inaugural cruiserweight belt

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LAS VEGAS – Jai Opetaia put together a stunning offensive display to demolish Brandon Glanton and become the inaugural Zuffa World Cruiserweight Champion via unanimous decision at Meta Apex on Sunday.

All three judges scored the fight 119-106.

Fighting on the Gold Coast, Australia, Opetaia easily won every round in his first fight on American soil, but was unable to obtain a knockout due to Glanton’s exceptional punch resistance.

“It’s okay,” Opetaia said. “I knew Brandon would be tough as nails. I’m ecstatic to get the victory and enter my next chapter as a Zuffa champion.”

Opetaia (30-0, 23 KO) had little trouble against the determined but badly outmatched Glanton (21-4, 18 KO), choking him with demanding shots and an uppercut that was impossible to miss. Glanton was cautioned by the referee and deducted a point in rounds 6 and 8 for holding and low blows, respectively. Opetaia was also deducted a point in round 11 for excessive holding, but the fight was already out of control.

The fight quickly became one-sided as Opetaia landed brutal shots to Glanton’s head and body. Although Glanton was regularly beaten, he continued to trail Opetaia but offered almost nothing offensive, while adopting a steady diet of right and left. Opetaia added uppercuts to his offensive repertoire in round 4 and this proved to be his most effective punch for the rest of the fight.

Opetaia torched Glanton in round 10 with various weighty punches to the head and body, but his opponent refused to break. Even with a wide margin on the scorecards, Opetaia went for a knockout in the final round and badly hurt Glanton with straight left hands and combinations. But Glanton survived until the final bell and will leave Las Vegas with a moral victory.

There was more drama between Opetaia and the IBF leading up to the fight than what happened in the ring. Opetaia entered the fight as the IBF cruiserweight champion, but could be stripped of his title after the IBF declined to sanction the fight on Friday, issuing a statement saying it was misrepresented that Zuffa’s championship would be nothing more than an item that would be “characterized as a trophy or token of recognition.”

Opetaia, 30, signed with Zuffa Boxing in January with the goal of becoming the undisputed cruiserweight, and he maintained that goal in his post-fight comments.

“I’m chasing lanes,” Opetaia said. “I know there’s been a lot of white noise and stuff. A lot of it on social media, but I hope everything clears up and we can still work towards that goal. I haven’t lost sight of that and I never have. I’ve already been stripped once. I’ve been stripped again. I’ll get the belt back and go undisputed.”

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Shakur Stevenson called for a fight to unite stadiums: “It’s a dream”

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Rising star with 80% KO ratio says he has the key to beat Shakur Stevenson

Shakur Stevenson faces a tantalizing opportunity, but only at 140 pounds, as he considers possible opponents for his next fight.

It appears that the 28-year-old has not yet set a date for his next fight dethroning Teofimo Lopezthe then-WBO super-lightweight champion, who scored huge in January.

A world champion in four weight divisions, Stevenson is now looking for a challenge at 140 to 135 pounds, where he previously held the WBC title.

A name that has been mentioned multiple times is Raymond Muratalla, the IBF and Ring Magazine belt holder after he overtook Andy Cruz in January.

From Stevenson’s perspective, the possibility of becoming Ring Magazine’s three-division champion is what makes a potential fight with Muratalla particularly attractive.

At the same time, however, a unification bout with Dalton Smith at 140 pounds certainly deserves consideration later this year.

Like Stevenson, the WBC champion won the super lightweight world title in January, dethroning Subriel Matias with a fifth-round away victory.

To get his next assignment, Smith will have to face mandatory challenger Alberto Puello on June 6, headlining the Matchroom Boxing gala at the Sheffield Arena.

If he manages to defend his title, the 29-year-old is eager to face Stevenson in a transatlantic battle that he compares to Floyd Mayweather’s fight with Ricky Hatton.

I’m talking to Ring MagazineSmith said that ideally this “dream” fight would take place at Hillsborough Stadium – home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club – or even Las Vegas.

“Of course [it’s a dream fight]. It’s just a repeat [Mayweather-Hatton]whether we do it in Hillsborough or on a huge night in Vegas.

“These are the fights that need to be fought – these are the most essential fights.”

Earlier in the interview, the Briton said he felt an obligation to continue his development to “do it for the people and ensure that huge fight nights come back to Sheffield.”

If Stevenson retains his WBO title, he could theoretically face Smith later this year, but perhaps by then he will be more likely to focus on alternative options.

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Jarrell Miller mocks Lenier Pero ahead of WBA eliminator in Las Vegas

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Image: Jarrell Miller says Lenier Pero has ‘no horsepower’ before eliminator

Miller and Pero will meet Saturday night at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas in a fight that could give the winner a much stronger position in the heavyweight division. At Thursday’s news conference, Miller made it clear he intended to make the preparation as raucous as the fight.

“It’s like a Lotus Elise sports car: quite swift, not very powerful, nimble in the corners,” Miller said. “I’m like a huge garbage truck and I’m going to fucking run him over.”

Although he still doesn’t have a name, the 37-year-old version of Miller is fighting for survival. Since his return in 2023, his record hasn’t screamed “title contender.”

For Miller, the fight against Pero is his last chance to stay relevant. At the age of 37, another loss, especially to a wiser, younger Cuban like Pero, will likely relegate him to an opponent for the rest of his career.

He still tries to apply that same Brooklyn swagger to annoy Pero, but the stakes are completely different now. In 2019, he was an undefeated contender with the world at his feet. In 2026, he will be a veteran who wants to prove that he is not just a “garbage truck” with a dead battery.

The Brooklyn heavyweight has long relied on pressure, high intensity and personality, and he promised more of the same against the Cuban.

“It’s not going to be pretty. He may run away, but I’m going to grab his ass and when I do, his goose will be cooked, plain and straightforward,” Miller said.

Pero didn’t match Miller’s acting, but he dismissed the argument and said the real answer would come after the first bell.

“He said a lot of nonsense, but it doesn’t affect me mentally in any way,” Pero said. “I’m going to go in there and break him. I talk with my fists in the ring.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn described the contest as an significant heavyweight fight in which the winner will take a significant step towards greater opportunities.

Miller missed out on a fight with Anthony Joshua in 2019 that would have made him a opulent man and set him up for life. He tested positive for a banned substance and was subsequently replaced by Andy Ruiz Jr.

That huge “what if” question must have haunted him every time he looked at his bank account. That $5 million plus the payout for the Joshua fight was Miller’s golden ticket to the elite level of the sport. Instead, he watched as Andy Ruiz Jr. walks into Madison Square Garden, shocks the world and becomes a global superstar while Miller was sidelined and serving probation.

If Pero can handle the early pressure and take advantage of Miller’s aging gas tank, the “goose is cooked” statement could prove prophetic for Miller’s career.

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Deontay Wilder summoned by a fierce rival after years of sparring sessions ended with a hospital stay

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Deontay Wilder called out by bitter rival years after sparring session ended in hospital trip

Deontay Wilder is likely to have another major fight before the end of the year following his success against Derek Chisora, and now one of his fiercest rivals has called for a “personal” grudge fight.

Wilder made it two straight wins for the first time since 2019, first beating Tyrrell Herndon in a low-key comeback last June and then winning a split decision over Derek Chisora ​​earlier this month.

After the victory over Chisora, it seems that the “Bronze Bomber” has returned to competition in an crucial fight, either for the world title or against an opponent who will challenge him for the belts.

However, talking to Fighting Hub TVfellow American Jarrell Miller downplayed Wilder’s recent resurgence, unimpressed with his victory over “Del Boy”.

“Fuck no [I wasn’t impressed by his performance against Chisora]. He looked like a super b***h. I don’t think Chisora ​​was 100% ready for this fight because compared to the last three fights Chisora ​​had, his conditioning was much better, he looked much stronger [in those fights].

“He looked a little flat in it and Deontay looked like a super b***h.

Miller then admitted that he would love the opportunity to meet his 40-year-old compatriot, stating that their rivalry had become personal due to the situation involving Wilder’s former fiancée.

“I would love to fight Deontay, but Deontay repeatedly said, ‘I will never fight Miller,’ and then when I said more bullshit, ‘I will never fight Miller because he was so disrespectful.’ I said, ‘You’re a punk bitch, we’re fighters, bro!’

“It’s kind of personal because he took it personally. I never said it personally, I always respected him as an older brother because we went to camp a few times, but then he took his ex’s word for it about some things I told him and took it the wrong way. Then he came and found out that I was right.”

“He took it personally… Like I say bro, he didn’t listen to that motto before he did it – now he feels the wrath of that shit.”

The pair have been exchanging blows for years, including: Wilder previously claimed he sent Miller to hospital after a particularly brutal sparring session.

On Saturday night, Miller fights WBA No. 2 Lenier Perowanting to prove that he is the United States’ best chance at regaining the heavyweight title.

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