Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs) outclassed Brandon Glanton to capture the inaugural Zuffa Boxing Cruiserweight World Title in a unanimous decision victory: 119-106 (X3).
After a cautious first round spent establishing his jab, Opetaia found his rhythm in the third, wobbling Glanton with a straight left late in the round. The Australian dominated his man, outworking him from the middle to the championship rounds. While Glanton showed resolve to hang in with Opetaia, he never looked like troubling him. In the 12th, Opetaia landed a final barrage of uppercuts and body shots, nearly finding the stoppage, though Glanton’s chin held out until the final bell. However, since the IBF did not recognize the Zuffa belt, Opetaia lost that belt. The attention will now turn towards Opetaia’s next move.