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World Champion Jai Opetaia Gives Up IBF Belt to Duel Zorro. Photo: BBC
JAKARTA – Cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia has given up his IBF belt for a duel with Ellis Zorro according to reporter Ben Damon and Fox Sports Australia. Undefeated Jai Opetaia plans to vacate his IBF cruiserweight title to move forward with his scheduled fight with Ellis Zorro (17-0, 7 KOs).
The fight against Ellis Zorro is scheduled to take place on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, as part of the ‘Day of Reckoning’ fight card featuring some of the best heavyweight boxers such as Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
Jai Opetaia will reportedly be paid $450,000 for the fight – as part of a three-fight deal agreed with the Saudi Arabian side. The entire deal will reportedly raise more than $2 million.
Last year, Opetaia captured the title when she stunned division king Mairis Briedis, but she suffered a broken jaw in the win – resulting in a longer than expected recovery period.
Briedis is the mandatory challenger for the IBF title. A few months ago, the IBF allowed Opetaia to make a title defense against Jordan Thompson.
The IBF issued an order recently, denying Opetaia’s request to proceed with the planned fight against Zorro. Opetaia’s team appealed the IBF’s decision, but the sanctioning body rejected their request.
“We have made it clear to Jai’s team that he cannot fight Ellis Zorro for the title,” an IBF spokesman said last week.
“We already gave Jai an exception to fight Jordan Thompson in his last fight, so he can’t get another exception to fight Zorro, who doesn’t have a world ranking. In our rules, that can’t be done. He can’t get consecutive exceptions. “
“If we break the rules for Jai, it will open up opportunities for others. The IBF have told Jai’s team that he cannot fight Zorro – we have said that his next fight must be Briedis. If Jai Opetaia goes ahead and fights Zorro, then he will be stripped of his IBF world title.”
(sto)