The head of the promotional company Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn, reacted sharply to the decision of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) to strip Australian cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia of his title after his fight under the auspices of Zuffa Boxing, Dana White's promotion.
According to Hearn, what happened appears to be an obvious display of power by the sanctioning bodies, who decided to punish the boxer for participating in a project that openly ignores their authority.
"Dana White has been loudly declaring from the very beginning that he does not recognize or need these organizations," Hearn noted. "He explicitly stated that they don't dictate to him and that his fights will take place without their approval. And now, when one of his fights went unsanctioned, suddenly there's outrage and complaints. This seems extremely inconsistent: first, you reject the rules, and then you demand they be followed to your advantage."
Hearn expressed sincere sympathy for Opetaia, who, according to him, originally expected a full-fledged defense of the IBF title. "I truly feel sorry for Jai," added the promoter. "He was promised that he would defend the world champion title according to the IBF version, but in the end, everything turned out differently."
Recall that last weekend, Opetaia defeated Brandon Glanton by decision, becoming the first Zuffa Boxing champion.
