By Anthony Cocks
World cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia 30-0 (23 KOs) had his full arsenal on display as he outboxed and out-banged Brandon Glanton 21-3 (18 KOs) en route to a near shutout victory at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday night.
The 30-year-old Australian southpaw entered the fight after a tumultuous week that saw him stripped of his IBF title in the days before the bout.
Lesser boxers might have been distracted. Not Opetaia.
The Ring Magazine champion stepped into the ring with steely resolve. He boxed cleverly through the first four rounds, letting Glanton come to him while picking off the American from the outside.
But by the middle rounds of the bout, Opetaia decided he could beat the 34-year-old at his own game.
Opetaia stood his ground. He traded on the inside. He relied on his speed and timing to overcome Glanton’s rough-and-tumble style. It worked.
Glanton did everything he could in close, but the cleaner, sharper punches came from Opetaia. By the time the fight entered the final four rounds, Glanton was badly beaten up. His face was swollen and he looked exhausted. His offense became increasingly ragged.
If it weren’t for his world-class chin, Glanton would have been gone.
Opetaia kept rocking Glanton again and again as the rounds wore on. In the championship rounds, it looked like the challenger was ready to go. A minute before the final bell, a laser-like left from Opetaia sent a brave Glanton back on his heels, but there wasn’t enough time to finish the job.
Referee Allen Huggins made his presence felt, deducting one point from Glanton in round six for holding and another in round eight for low blows. He also deducted one point from Opetaia for holding in round eleven.
In the end, it was all academic. Judges Eric Cheek, Patricia Morse Jarman, and David Sutherland all handed in identical scorecards of 119-106.
With the win, Opetaia becomes the first Zuffa cruiserweight titleholder.
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