“We’re chasing undisputed. That is my dream. Have a look at the last couple of undisputed fighters. You’ve got [Terence] Crawford, you’ve got [Oleksandr] Usyk, legends of the game.
“I need my name up there like that.”
Opetaia currently holds the IBF cruiserweight championship but could face disciplinary motion if the sanctioning body refuses to acknowledge the Glanton bout, which is scheduled to crown the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight titleholder. Reports circulated this week claiming the IBF had instructed him to choose from defending its belt or fighting for the brand new title.
The Australian rejected those claims and insisted the situation has been misreported.
“False! I need to work with the IBF, . And so they’re not ruled out. I wanna grow to be undisputed. And unless the IBF jump on board and work with us, man, my dreams grow to be a fantasy.”
Opetaia also addressed speculation surrounding the negotiations.
“Just don’t hearken to every little thing you read on the web, it’s best to know that, bro. Persons are at all times jumping to conclusions.
“People just need to make out like they know [what’s going on], so everyone clicks on their thing. They don’t know st, bro! They truthfully have no idea st. That could be a fully made-up scenario.”
The cruiserweight division still runs through the established sanctioning bodies. To grow to be undisputed, Opetaia must still collect the WBA, WBC and WBO belts alongside the IBF title he already holds.
If the IBF ultimately refuses to sanction the Glanton fight, Opetaia could lose his belt. That call would complicate the immediate cruiserweight title picture while the division waits to see whether Zuffa’s belt structure can coexist with the present championship system.
Opetaia vs Glanton Fight Details:
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Location: Meta APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (UFC/Zuffa facility)
Start Times (major card; approximate):
Las Vegas (PT): 6:00 PM
Recent York (ET): 9:00 PM
London (GMT): 2:00 AM (Monday, March 9)