Hearn On Zuffa Fighters: They Don't Get What They Bargained For

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has accused Zuffa Boxing of misleading fighters about their championship prospects, pointing to cruiserweight Jai Opetaia as a case study in broken promises.

During an appearance on The Stomping Ground podcast, Hearn argued that Opetaia has moved further from his goal of becoming undisputed champion since signing with Dana White's boxing venture. "Jai Opetaia, all he wanted to do was be undisputed," Hearn said, per Bad Left Hook. "He signs with Zuffa and he says 'I can't wait to be undisputed'. Zuffa have in turn come out and said 'we're not going to work with any of the belts'."

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Opetaia Now Holds Zero Major Titles

Hearn detailed how Opetaia lost his IBF belt after Zuffa declined to work with sanctioning bodies, then won what he believed was the vacant WBC title against Mikaelian — only to discover the bout was not sanctioned by the WBC because Mikaelian had a mandatory order to face David Benavidez. "He doesn't have one belt in boxing," Hearn said. "And now he's done an interview yesterday going 'I feel undisputed's coming'. It's like, you don't even have one belt, mate."

Hearn said Zuffa's approach amounts to a bait-and-switch. "They get talked and they get spieled by these people and it's like, it's absolute bollocks, total bollocks," he added. The comments come as Hearn prepares to stage Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in the UK after White had lobbied to bring the fight to America.

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Opetaia has not responded publicly to Hearn's remarks. His next fight has not been announced.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — ‘It’s absolute bollocks’: Eddie Hearn says Zuffa fighters don’t get what they bargained for