Opetaia Becomes First-Ever Zuffa Cruiserweight Champion

Australian fighter dominates Brandon Glanton to win inaugural Zuffa Cruiserweight title

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Jai Opetaia defeated Brandon Glanton in the main event of Zuffa Boxing 4 to become the first-ever Zuffa Cruiserweight champion. Opetaia controlled the pace of the fight with his superior footwork and dirty boxing, winning every round on the judges' scorecards despite some controversial officiating that saw points deducted from both fighters.

Why it matters

This marks a historic moment for Zuffa, the new boxing promotion founded by Dana White and Turki Al-Sheikh, as they crown their first-ever champion in the cruiserweight division. Opetaia now has his sights set on becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion, with several other title belts still up for grabs.

The details

Opetaia used his great footwork to consistently beat Glanton to the punch throughout the fight. On the inside, Opetaia's dirty boxing allowed him to land shots on the bigger Glanton. The referee was strict, taking points away from both fighters for excessive clinching, which frustrated the ringside announcers.

  • The fight took place on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Opetaia was recently stripped of the IBF cruiserweight title.

The players

Jai Opetaia

The Australian-born fighter who won the inaugural Zuffa Cruiserweight title, still has his sights set on becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion.

Brandon Glanton

The challenger who lost to Opetaia in the main event of Zuffa Boxing 4.

Dana White

The co-founder of Zuffa, the new boxing promotion that hosted this historic title fight.

Turki Al-Sheikh

The co-founder of Zuffa, the new boxing promotion that hosted this historic title fight.

Noel Mikaelian

The current WBC cruiserweight champion.

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What’s next

Opetaia will be a 'very interested observer' on May 2 when Gilberto Ramirez defends his WBA (Super) and WBO Cruiserweight titles against David Benavidez, who is moving up in weight.

The takeaway

Zuffa's first-ever cruiserweight champion, Jai Opetaia, has proven himself a dominant force in the division and now has his sights set on becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion, with several other title belts still up for grabs.