(Photo by Zuffa Boxing)
Although Jai Opetaia wore three belts on his body last night, the placing of them was rather telling. You had, on his right shoulder, the IBF cruiserweight title, which had not been on the line during his unanimous decision victory over Brandon Glanton in Las Vegas. Then, over his left shoulder, you had The Ring’s cruiserweight belt, the owning of which supposedly indicates that Opetaia is the true number-one cruiserweight in the world and therefore has no need to collect or flaunt other belts to prove it.
As for the third belt on Opetaia’s person last night, that was wrapped around his waist. This, of course, was the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title, which Opetaia won by beating Glanton and was kindly applied to his body from behind by Dana White, the head of Zuffa Boxing. This belt, unlike the other two, was not one gathered by Opetaia of his own volition and attached to body parts of his choosing. It was instead wrapped around his waist – secured around his waist – by a man he didn’t even see coming.
Thanks to White, the belt now had pride of place on Opetaia’s body. It arrived first – before the IBF belt and The Ring belt – and it remained front and centre, the belt to which all eyes were drawn. With White’s help, it had now marked its territory. It had taken the best spot.
After all, whenever we imagine the archetypal world champion boxer, we picture a belt around their waist before we picture a belt slung over their shoulder. In that sense, the Zuffa Boxing belt, though fresh on the scene, was more symbolic of Opetaia being a world champion than any other he carried with him in Las Vegas. That includes The Ring magazine belt, merely an afterthought, as well as the IBF belt Opetaia has won twice and defended on five occasions.
Indeed, as if to hammer the point home, Max Kellerman, an employee of Zuffa Boxing, was after the fight determined to press reset on Opetaia’s four-year cruiserweight reign and start again. He did so by putting the emphasis on the belt around the Australian’s waist, and what that means, while ignoring Opetaia’s desire to collect belts rather than simply defend a belt that, to date, has no real significance.
“You are the recognised Ring magazine champ and you’re now the first-ever Zuffa cruiserweight champion of the world,” Kellerman said in the ring. “Who would you like to make your first title defence against?” He then…
2026-03-09 13:34:54
