Jai Opetaia is entirely focused on becoming undisputed despite his upcoming fight.
Zuffa Boxing now boasts a roster of 96 fighters, as a recent social media post from the promotion outlined.
Undoubtedly certainly one of the most important names on that list is the undefeated IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
Dana White signing Opetaia was an announcement of intent, however the fighter has reminded his recent promotion that he’s made this move with the expectation that they’ll get him the unification bouts that he wants.
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Jai Opetaia says he’ll be very dissatisfied if he doesn’t get a unification fight this 12 months
On March 8, Jai Opetaia has the possibility to make history by becoming the primary ever Zuffa Boxing champion when he faces Brandon Glanton on the Meta Apex.
It has been argued that the time is now for the 30-year-old to be put into the most important fights in his division, having already built a record of 29-0.
In an interview with RG’s Timothy Wheaton, Opetaia once more made it clear that his one goal is being the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and he won’t be comfortable if unification fights proceed to elude him.
“Don’t take your mind off undisputed. We’re chasing unification fights. If we don’t get one by the tip of the 12 months, I’ll be very f—— dissatisfied. Undisputed. While you consider me, you’re thinking that, ‘Bro, he desires to be undisputed.’ That’s it. I’m not anxious about anyone else. I don’t chase names.”
There have been some confused reactions to Opetaia signing with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing since the promotion originally planned to only acknowledge their very own belt and The Ring title.
Nonetheless, the UFC president has since said that they’ll work with each fighter on what’s best for them and within the case of the cruiserweight champion, he still has the choice to fight on Riyadh Season events.
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Who’re the opposite champions in Jai Opetaia’s weight class?
With Jai Opetaia holding the IBF and The Ring cruiserweight titles, there are three other belts that he’d need to assert to be able to be the undisputed champion.
The WBC belt belongs to Noel Mikaelian who reclaimed it in December by getting revenge over Badou Jack after the title swapped hands of their first bout.
Each of the opposite belts (WBA and WBO) are within the hands of 1 man, Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez.
Ramirez is about to place his unified status on the road against David Benavidez in the most effective matchups of the 12 months on the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 2.