UFC boss Dana White’s new promotional outfit, Zuffa Boxing, has already made a monumental splash, not least because of Conor Benn’s reported $15 million deal.
Even if this figure is not entirely accurate, the 29-year-old will ultimately earn an eight-figure sum for his clash with Regis Prograis on April 11, before deciding whether to extend his relationship with the organisation.
This, unsurprisingly, has been viewed by Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as a serious and threatening signal of intent, designed to devalue the ‘old guard’ and accelerate the establishment of a new kid on the block.
But while Benn represents one of British boxing’s biggest stars, whose departure was acutely felt by Hearn, the significance White’s ‘Zuffa Boxing title’ will instead be determined by fighters such as Jai Opetaia.
The Ring Magazine and IBF world cruiserweight champion will face Brandon Glanton this Sunday, headlining Zuffa Boxing’s fourth event at the Meta Apex, Las Vegas.
Ordinarily, this would be considered something of a ‘tick-over’ fight, given Opetaia’s semi-debatable status as his division’s leading champion, yet the real story here lies almost entirely with the belts.
It is yet to be confirmed whether Opetaia will defend his IBF crown against Glanton, a solid but unspectacular contender, while his Ring Magazine strap - and, more importantly, the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title - are most definitely on the line.
Based on the promotion for this event, it would seem that Zuffa Boxing has doubled down on its desire to marginalise the four major sanctioning bodies - the WBC, IBF, WBO and WBA - as there has been no mention, whatsoever, of the Australian’s traditional world title, of which he has made four defences since outpointing Mairis Briedis in 2024.
It is highly possible, then, that Opetaia-Glanton will represent a watershed moment for Zuffa Boxing, with the triumph of a true champion giving its belt a degree of credibility.
- Oscar Pick
This, however, hinges on the hope that Opetaia - who is widely expected to defeat Glanton - maintains his subjective position as the flagship fighter at 200lbs.
Elsewhere in the division, unified champion Gilberto Ramirez will defend his WBO and WBA world titles against David Benavidez on May 2.
The winner of that fight could therefore rival Opetaia’s status as the consensus No.1, while WBC world champion Noel Mikaelian also has a claim to the all-singing, all-dancing cruiserweight throne.
Unless Opetaia tests himself against such opposition, his reputation as a widely-accepted king will surely diminish, especially if he continues to trudge through title defences against the likes of Glanton.
Then again, there is equally a chance that the supreme ruler at 200lbs will emerge soon enough, with Ramirez, Benavidez and Mikaelian having previously worked with Turki Alalshikh, who jointly owns Zuffa Boxing alongside White and TKO director Nick Khan.
It is worth noting, too, that high-profile fighters such as Oleksandr Usyk, Canelo Alvarez, Naoya Inoue and Shakur Stevenson have also headlined Alalshikh’s cards - whether that be Ring Magazine or Riyadh Season - in the not too distant past.
If they can be convinced to represent the Zuffa Boxing title, rather than any traditional sanctioning body belts, then Alalshikh, White and Khan are suddenly not too far removed from their overall ambition.
