Zuffa Boxing 4 begins as Jai Opetaia fights amid looming IBF strip
Sunday at 6: 00 p. m. ET, zuffa boxing returned with Zuffa Boxing 4 from the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, headlined by Jai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton for the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title. The timing is central to the event: Opetaia is set to lose his IBF cruiserweight championship after the fight because the IBF refused to sanction the bout.
Zuffa Boxing 4 card at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas
The main event pits Opetaia against Glanton with a new Zuffa cruiserweight title on the line, while the IBF title is not being defended Sunday night. The prelims begin at 6: 00 p. m. ET, the main card is scheduled to start at 9: 00 p. m. ET, and main event ring walks are expected around 11: 00 p. m. ET.
Opetaia enters his Zuffa debut with a 29-0 record and 23 knockouts. Glanton comes in at 21-3 with 18 knockouts.
Other bouts listed for the card include Ricardo Adan Salas Rodriguez vs. Jesus Saracho at welterweight, Adan Palma vs. Pablo Rubio Jr. at featherweight, Vlad Panin vs. Shinard Bunch at welterweight, Joshua Juarez vs. Jardae Anderson at heavyweight, and Jaycob Ramos vs. Ethan Perez at featherweight.
Jai Opetaia’s IBF title stakes shift because the IBF won’t sanction Glanton
The immediate trigger for the heightened attention on Sunday’s main event is the IBF’s decision not to sanction Opetaia’s voluntary defense against Glanton. As a result, Opetaia’s IBF cruiserweight belt is not on the line in Las Vegas, and he will be stripped of that title after tonight.
Opetaia fought three times in 2025 and successfully defended his IBF cruiserweight title each time. His most recent fight ended with an eighth-round knockout of Huseyin Cinkara this past December, but the governing body’s refusal to approve the Glanton matchup means zuffa boxing is now the setting for a title fight that is separate from the IBF championship picture.
Brandon Glanton’s recent results set up the Zuffa cruiserweight main event
Glanton has three prior defeats. He lost his unbeaten record to David Light in December 2022, then lost again to Soslan Asbarov in March 2023. After putting together a three-fight win streak, Glanton fell to Chris Billam-Smith this past April in London on the Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn undercard.
Glanton then returned to the win column in October with a sixth-round victory over Marcus Browne, setting the stage for his meeting with Opetaia in Las Vegas for the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title.
Sunday’s schedule continues with the main card beginning at 9: 00 p. m. ET and main event ring walks expected around 11: 00 p. m. ET, when Opetaia and Glanton are set to contest the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight championship.
