IBF STRIPS OPEATAIA: WORLD TITLE FARCE HITS NEW LOW!

Well, here we go again. The IBF, in their infinite wisdom, have stripped Jai Opetaia of his cruiserweight world title. You couldn't make it up, could you? This isn't the first time a governing body has pulled a fast one, but it still stings. Opetaia, a proper fighting man, was set to defend his belt against Richard Riakporhe, a cracking British talent. A proper domestic dust-up, a fight the fans wanted, a fight that would have lit up the division. Instead, the IBF mandated a clash with Mairis Briedis, the man Opetaia beat to win the title in the first place. Fair enough, a rematch clause is a rematch clause. But then, when Opetaia's team tried to make the fight, Briedis was apparently unavailable. So, Opetaia looks to make a voluntary defence against Ellis Zorro, a good, solid fighter. But no, the IBF then say he must fight Briedis, or be stripped. It's a shambles, plain and simple. The politics of the sweet science are a dirty game, and it's the fighters who suffer. Opetaia, a champion who earned his stripes, is now without his hard-won strap. It's a crying shame. This sort of nonsense tarnishes the sport. We've seen it before, belts held hostage, champions denied. It makes a mockery of the 'world champion' tag. The fans deserve better, the fighters deserve better. Opetaia will bounce back, no doubt. He's got the heart of a lion. But this whole episode leaves a bitter taste. The IBF need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Sort it out, lads. For the good of boxing.