Eddie Hearn reacts to Dana White signing Jai Opetaia: “That’s probably where the problem started”

Jai Opetaia recently became the first signing of Dana White and Zuffa Boxing. It was previously promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.

Opetaia became IBF World Champion for the first time in 2022. He was stripped in 2023 for refusing to face a mandatory challenger, but promptly regained the belt a year later. He has since been vocally calling for unification fights, especially against WBA and WBO titleholder Gilberto Ramirez.

The fearsome cruiserweight king announced his move earlier this week ahead of Zuffa’s opening card in Las Vegas. It’s an official signing by the newest boxing promotion in town, but it has led to some confusion among fans.

White has made it clear in recent months that he has no intention of working with the sport’s four main sanctioning bodies, and was expected to focus on the Ring Magazine belt as well as establishing the Zuffa title. However, when he revealed his signing with the UFC president, Obitaya said he was still looking forward to getting the other three recognized belts.

Speaking to IFL TV, Hearn revealed that the partnership – a joint promotion with Tasman Fighters – had begun to dwindle over the past six months.

“We haven’t promoted Jay ourselves for over two years, since the Jordan Thompson fight. Everything we did around Jay was with Mick Francis and the Tasman Fighters. The last three fights, which were all in Australia, we didn’t promote. The first fight, we, with Turki Al-Sheikh, gave a lot of money for sponsorship. The second fight, against the Italian guy, we didn’t participate at all. And the third fight, which is probably where the problem came from, was rejected by DAZN.

“They didn’t make an offer to broadcast the fight. I kind of feel like during that period, we didn’t do much. More importantly, I couldn’t get Jay to the fight that people wanted to see him in. And that’s not his fault, and it’s not really my fault, because Zurdo Ramirez wasn’t available or didn’t really want the fight in my opinion.”

Hearn then realized the champion had to make a decision for the good of his career after “wading in the water”, and went on to praise the deal while warning that it offered unification fights.

“I hope this deal gives him what he wants. I know there’s confusion about the belts not being recognized by Zufa but Jay and Mick [Francis] They say this will take us into undisputed battles. I think the messaging is all over the place, and it doesn’t really matter. The problem will still be presenting those fights to him. You have Benavidez Zordo in May, so those guys won’t be available until November and December.

“So, what’s Jay’s plan? Supposedly, if the plan is true to its word, he’ll unite. There’s only one other champion, so he’ll fight the WBC champion, Mikaelian, next. Which I think is great for him. So as long as he’s doing that, and as long as that actually happens, I think that was the best move Jay and Mick could have made.”

News of Opetaia’s first bout under the Zuffa Boxing banner is expected to emerge soon, and White has now said he will initially work with the major sanctioning bodies in situations like this.