The biggest signing yet for Zuffa Boxing takes the main stage on Sunday when the world’s consensus top cruiserweight, Jai Opetaia, makes his promotional debut against power-punching Brandon Glanton in the main event of Zuffa Boxing 04. The 12-round fight will crown the first Zuffa Boxing world champion in the promotion’s short history.
Opetaia (29-0, 23 KO) is on his second stint as IBF cruiserweight champion and is looking to add the honor of being the first fighter to ever hold a Zuffa Boxing championship.
However, the IBF aspect took a detour after Friday’s press conference. Despite the belt being present on the dais and Opetaia saying that any issues with sanctioning the fight for his title to be defended were resolved, the IBF put out a statement saying they were not sanctioning the fight. Instead, the IBF says it will strip Opetaia of his title for participating in the event.
Opetaia truly established himself as an elite heavyweight with a 2022 win over Mairis Briedis. While a win over an established top fighter like Briedis was already an impressive accomplishment, the fact that Opetaia managed the feat with his jaw broken in two different places immediately built an aura around the Australian.
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Opetaia would defeat Briedis in a rematch three fights later, and didn’t have to suffer through a massive injury to do so the second time around. Since the second Briedis win, Opetaia has rattled off four knockout victories while unsuccessfully hunting for the biggest game in the division.
While unification bouts and fights against the rest of the elite of the division have eluded Opetaia, there has never been a doubt about his quality as a fighter.
“It would mean the world to me,” Opetaia told CBS Sports about potentially becoming the first Zuffa Boxing champion. “I think from this fight on, to become undisputed, you’ll need to have the Zuffa Zuffa Boxing 04 — Jai Opetaia vs. Brandon Glanton: Predictions, start time, card as well. I’m honored to be the first.
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“I still have hard work to do on Sunday before this happens. I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch. I’ve done the hard work, and I have the ability to win this fight. Now it’s about executing the gameplan.”
In Glanton (21-3, 18 KO), Opetaia faces a fighter with blistering power. Glanton has also never been stopped in his professional career, making for a matchup of two men with heavy hands and solid chins — at least thus far in their careers.
Glanton has come up short in three of his career bouts, dropping a 2022 split decision to David Light, a 2023 majority decision to Soslan Asbarov and a 2025 unanimous decision to former WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith.
Despite those three losses, Glanton has shown plenty of skills, including in his most recent fight, a stoppage win over former unified title challenger Marcus Browne. Glanton’s gritty split decision win over Efetobor Apochi in 2021 stands out as a fight that proves the depths to which Glanton will dig to find victory, even when the knockout doesn’t come.
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There are two more featured bouts on the main card on Sunday. Ricardo Salas is set to take on Jesus Saracho in a welterweight contest. Salas has won four straight bouts but has not stepped up against a fighter Saracho’s caliber since 2021. Saracho, meanwhile, is 3-0-1 in his last four outings. Plus, Adan Palma is set to take on Pablo Rubio at featherweight.
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the fight card for Sunday before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.
Zuffa Boxing 04 fight card, odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Jai Opetaia -1400 vs. Brandon Glanton +800, inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title
Ricardo Salas -240 vs. Jesus Saracho +185, welterweights
Adan Palma -215 vs. Pablo Rubio +165, featherweights
Shinard Bunch -140 vs. Vlad Panin +110, welterweights
Joshua Juarez -200 vs. Jardae Anderson +155, heavyweights
Jaycob Ramos -150 vs. Ethan Perez +120, featherweights
Brady Ochoa vs. Adrian Serrano, lightweights
Emiliano Alvarado -2500 vs. Erick Rosado +1000, featherweights
Where to watch Zuffa Boxing 04
Date: March 8 | Location: Meta APEX — Las Vegas Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET Main card begins at 9 p.m. ET Watch live:Paramount+ (subscribe now for as little as $8.99 per month)
Prediction
Glanton is a tough fighter with good power. He’s proven he can hang with some good fighters. The problem is, Opetaia is not a good fighter, he’s a great one. Glanton is a top 15 fighter around the tier of fighters Opetaia has handled well in his career. Of course, if Glanton lands a few heavy shots, it could significantly alter the texture of the fight, if not end it outright.
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Ultimately, Opetaia is simply the better fighter — the best in the world in the division, no less. And it is likely too tall a task for Glanton to suddenly step up his game to a level he’s never shown before at 34 years old and 24 fights into a professional career. Opetaia wins on Sunday, but Glanton is going to make him work for it. Pick: Jai Opetaia via TKO10
The closure of the US Embassy in Jordan has heightened the frustrations of Jordanian football fans hoping to see their team make their World Cup debut in three months’ time.
While the US-Israeli and Iranian attacks that caused its shuttering on Friday dominate headlines and thoughts, fans looking forward to an escape are left in the dark. The US embassy site simply says that “all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments are canceled until further notice”.
Having spoken to a number of Jordanian fans, DW understands that many had already had visa applications rejected for the tournament, in which their national team is to play all three group matches in the US. Many more still wait, some having shelled out thousands for tickets. They all want answers from the US or the tournament organizers, FIFA.
Gianni Infantino’s organization did not respond to a DW request for comment, and former Jordan international, Mohammad Khair, said many fans felt frustrated by the lack of clarity.
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Bigger tournament, greater frustrations
“When FIFA decided to add more teams to this World Cup, they should have also made sure it is easy for everyone to go and force the host country to smooth out the visa process,” he told DW.
FIFA’s consistent line on visa issues has been to defer to US immigration and state that such things are outside its remit. The organization also points to the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) available to ticket holders.
“America welcomes the World. We have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history – and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that,” said Infantino on its launch in November.
Jordan qualified for their first World Cup in June last yearImage: Ameen Ahmed/NurPhoto/IMAGO
But with FIFA having opened a surprise extra 48-hour ticket window at the end of February — despite previously saying it had sold all available tickets — and further batches expected to come to market ahead of the June 11 tournament opener, Jordan fans without tickets must either buy a ticket and hope for the best or miss out. Those with tickets but no visa may have to take a financial hit on resale.
“We were waiting for this dream to come true. I pursued every possible way to go and support our team, but the visa procedure is really tough,” Jordan fan Mahmoud Obaidat told DW.
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“Plus, there is this random draw (lottery), so you might plan and pay, and then you won’t get any tickets,” he added, referring to fans booking their travel on the off chance they could get lucky. “I applied for a visa three months ago and got rejected.”
Not having obtained a ticket yet, either, Obaidait’s chances of supporting his team in the US appear negligible.
Jordan fans ask for US help
Obaidat at least has the certainty of rejection, unlike many of his compatriots who were waiting on a judgment even before the closure of the embassy. Those fans, like Ghazi Al Samouee, can only appeal to the US and FIFA to hear their plea.
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“The dream of seeing our national team in the World Cup is here, but with heavy hearts, we ask for help from the US Embassy to look closely at the Jordanian fans’ applications. We applied, but we didn’t hear any answer until now. Our applications are stuck there.”
Al Samouee is the leader of the Ultras (hardcore supporters) of Jordanian club Al Ramtha SC and is on the list of fans eligible to apply through the country’s football association. Such fans are usually able to travel to tournaments with minimal fuss and access cheaper tickets.
Contacted by DW, the Jordanian FA declined comment on the matter.
No travel ban but reason for rejection
While Jordan is not under the kind of blanket US travel ban that will prevent fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Iran (if the team do not boycott) from traveling, it was on the list of 75 countries from which the US has stopped processing immigrant visas earlier this year. The Trump administration said that immigrants from Jordan had “a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the US taxpayer.”
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While this ban does not directly affect World Cup travel visas, it may reflect the US administration’s attitude towards foreigners. A number of fans DW spoke to in Amman were reluctant to voice their fears about such matters publicly. But one said the message from the US embassy was that they “could not be sure that those who go to the United States will return to Jordan after the World Cup is over.”
With travel bans and visa issues, as well as the high price of tickets preventing supporters from making their way to the US to follow their teams, the stands for many matches could be filled with fans from various diaspora populations already in the country. Jordan’s games in California and Texas now appear likely to be among them.
“We, as Jordanians, are hoping to get support from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinians who live in the USA to cheer for our team, as the Jordanian diaspora is not very large there,” said former player Khair.
While US citizens with links to nearby countries may help FIFA fill their seats and their coffers, it will be tough to stomach for those Jordanians forced to watch their country’s World Cup debut from afar.
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Dana Sumlaji and Sami Jarwan contributed to this report.
Tyson Fury has doubled down on his desire to enter a trilogy showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, but equally admits that he would be fighting an uphill battle.
The 37-year-old will return to action against Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, headlining a Ring Magazine event at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium live on Netflix.
This represents his first outing since losing to Usyk in December 2024, when the masterful Ukrainian defended his undisputed crown with a unanimous decision victory.
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Earlier that year, the pair had engaged in a far more dramatic encounter, with Fury losing a split decision after suffering a ninth-round knockdown.
But while many feel that Usyk deserved to emerge triumphant on both occasions, ‘The Gypsy King’ seemingly remains convinced that he was ‘robbed’ of two monumental victories.
This, it seems, is partly why he announced his retirement at the beginning of last year, referencing his two defeats to Usyk by saying “Dick Turpin wore a mask”.
Fury cannot help but view a potential trilogy clash with a degree of scepticism, believing his opponent will get the decision regardless unless he knocks him out.
“I want a third fight but, the thing is: I know if he stands up at the end of it, I’m not going to get a decision.
“For me, it’s like you may as well give him the fight. Before we even box, give him the W [win] and just give me the money, because that’s what’s going to happen anyway – if I don’t knock him out.
“If I could’ve knocked him out, I would’ve done already. He’s a tough man and, every time he gets hurt, he can sort of nip and run away with his speed and agility.
“So yeah, I’m not going to get a decision; it’s not going to be a fair result.”
First, the 39-year-old must defend his WBC world heavyweight title against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23, before targeting the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, which takes place for Wardley’s WBO world title on May 9.
After that, Usyk has insisted that he would be eager to face Fury once again, having potentially reclaimed his undisputed crown.
Aberdeen have made an approach to Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren for manager Stephen Robinson.
The Pittodrie club have announced they have “been officially given permission to enter formal talks” with the 51-year-old Northern Irishman about their managerial vacancy.
Peter Leven has been in caretaker charge since Aberdeen sacked Jimmy Thelin in early January.
But they suffered a bruising 3-0 defeat by second-tier Dunfermline Athletic in Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final and have won just once in eight outings.
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Robinson, meanwhile, led St Mirren to their second cup semi-final of the season on Sunday as the Paisley side defeated Partick Thistle having already gone on to lift the League Cup in November.
He led the Buddies to top-six finishes in his previous three seasons, although they currently sit 10th, one place and five points below Aberdeen, just three ahead of Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot.
Old Park Star (15/8) got favourite backers off to a winning start in the Grade 1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.
The winner, a 78th at the Festival for trainer Nicky Henderson and his Seven Barrows team, was ridden by Nico de Boinville.
The well-touted Irish-trained representatives disappointed in the opening race, where British-handled winners filled the first four places.
Sober Glory (9/2) was runner-up, one and a half lengths behind the winner.
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The third-placed Mydaddypaddy, ridden by Dan Skelton, was third, a nose behind the runner-up. He may have been the unlucky runner in the race as he found himself sandwiched between the winner and runner-up inside the closing stages.
El Cairos best of the Irish
Best of the Irish was the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos (15/2) who came home in fifth place for Jack Kennedy.
Too Bossy For Us, the mount of Paul Townend following the earlier withdrawal of Leader D’Allier, was next best of the Irish-trained runner, with Talk The Talk next to cross the line in seventh.
The first Irish-trained winner of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival came courtesy of Kargese (7/1) in the Grade 1 Arkle Trophy Novice Chase.
Ridden by Danny Mullins, the Kenny Alexander-owned mare, brought up a 1-2 to Closutton handler Willie Mullins, as she beat her stable companion, Kopek Des Bordes (11/8).
Billed as a clash between the Cork-owned pair of Lulamba (11/10 favourite), owned by Joe Donnelly, and last year’s SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victor, Kopek Des Bordes, Kargese, second in the Irish Arkle, was seen as next best in the market.
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Jumping is the name of the game and both Lulamba, in the hands of Nico de Boinville, and Kopek Des Bordes, with Paul Townend in the saddle, both made mistakes which ultimately provided crucial.
The latter’s final error of three over the two-mile Grade 1 contest came at the final fence, when he looked as though he might defeat the mare.
Without enough time to regain momentum, Danny Mullins drove clear aboard Kargese as she ran out a two and a half length winner.
The Charles McCarthy-owned Kopek Des Bordes had two and a half lengths in hand on Lulamba at the line.
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen was overcome with emotion on Tuesday night after fans of the Turkish club displayed a touching banner in his honour before their Champions League clash with Liverpool F.C.
Moments before kick-off at Rams Park, supporters of Galatasaray S.K. raised a huge tifo showing a portrait of Osimhen and his late mother. The banner also carried a message that read: “We are family and family is everything.”
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The Nigerian striker looked visibly emotional as he lined up with his teammates ahead of the match. Osimhen was seen wiping away tears while being comforted by teammates, including midfielder Lucas Torreira.
The moment quickly spread across social media as fans praised the Galatasaray supporters for the powerful tribute to the 27-year-old forward.
Osimhen has often spoken about the difficult moments he faced while growing up in Nigeria, especially the loss of his mother at a young age. The striker has said that football became his escape from hardship and helped him support his family.
The emotional scene at Rams Park showed the strong bond between the player and the Galatasaray fans, who continue to celebrate his impact at the club.
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Many supporters inside the stadium applauded the striker as he prepared to lead the line for the Turkish champions in the crucial Champions League encounter.
DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage is an elusive item required to complete the Journey to Heaven quests. This item is a random drop from the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests, contributing to its elusiveness. Since it is a crucial item for getting the Made in Heaven Stand, endgame players will be looking to add this Diary to their collection.
Here’s how you can get DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage.
Getting DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage
Clear the DIO Raid for a chance to get DIO’s Diary (Image via Roblox)
As mentioned earlier, there are two ways of getting DIO’s Diary: the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests. While it is the more challenging option, the DIO Raid battle is one of the required quests for completing the Journey to Heaven quests. So, since you will be defeating the Raid boss numerous times for the SSS Rank, you will most likely get the Diary in the process. This is an efficient way to get the Diary without having to grind for it separately.
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If that fails, you will also get a large number of Legendary Chests in the process. Open them for a random chance to get DIO’s Diary. Note that since DIO’s Diary is a Mythical item, the odds of getting it through Chest openings are extremely low. So, we only recommend relying on Chests as a last resort.
DIO’s Diary serves a single purpose: to evolve C-Moon into Made in Heaven. The item is used in the final step of the evolution process: the Journey to Heaven 4 quest. After completing all preceding Journey to Heaven missions, take the Diary to Pucci inside the cathedral near Bus Stop 18. Give the Diary to Pucci to initiate the transformation of your C-Moon Stand into Made in Heaven.
Note that you can only use the Diary if you have C-Moon as your active Stand. If you wish to acquire Made in Heaven, the strongest Stand in the game, refrain from using Stand Arrows and Lucky Arrows while C-Moon is active.
Norwegian club Molde FK has released an official statement regarding former Nigeria U-20 midfielder Daniel Daga after his recent sentencing.
The club addressed the situation while explaining its position and the steps it has taken as the legal process continues.
In a statement, Molde described the situation as difficult for everyone involved and stressed that the club has a duty to handle the matter responsibly.
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“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved.
Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties,” the club said.
The Norwegian side also confirmed that the Nigerian midfielder will not take part in matchday activities for now.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
Molde had earlier announced in December that Daga would be withdrawn from both training sessions and matches while the legal proceedings were ongoing.
The club says it will continue to monitor the situation as the case develops.
The recent court ruling involving Nigerian midfielder Daniel Daga has sparked serious discussion in the football community. However, despite the six-month prison sentence handed down by a Norwegian court, I remain confident that justice will prevail when the case goes to appeal.
Daga, a Nigeria U-20 international and player for Molde FK, was sentenced to six months in prison by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court after being convicted of committing a sexual act against a person who did not consent.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the 19-year-old midfielder was ordered to pay NOK 10,000 in legal costs, which is about ₦1.45 million.
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However, the case is far from over. Daga’s legal team has already filed an appeal, meaning the verdict is not final under Norwegian law.
His lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, made it clear that the player strongly disagrees with the ruling and continues to maintain his innocence.
“He is terribly sorry that the verdict was the way it was. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad said.
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“He will appeal the verdict. The verdict is not final. He will be treated like everyone else until he is sentenced.”
From what has been presented so far, Daga admitted that he had a sexual encounter with the lady involved, but he insists that it was consensual. According to his position, the claim that it was not consensual is simply not true.
Sadly, football has seen situations before where accusations have damaged the reputation and careers of players before the full truth emerged. There have been cases where footballers were accused of similar offences but were later cleared after long legal battles.
This is why I strongly believe that the appeal process will give the court another opportunity to carefully examine the facts of the case. Justice requires patience, and appeals exist precisely for situations like this.
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Another very important point is the position of his club, Molde. Unlike many clubs that quickly distance themselves from players facing legal problems, Molde have chosen to stand by Daga while respecting the seriousness of the case.
The club said in a statement:
“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved. Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties.”
Molde also confirmed that the midfielder will not be involved in matchday activities while the legal process continues.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
This support from the club is significant. It shows that Molde still believe in their player and are prepared to allow the legal process run its course.
It is also important to clarify that because the case has been appealed, the legal process is still ongoing and the verdict is not final. The appeal will determine the final outcome.
For me, the key issue is simple: justice must be based on facts and truth. I remain convinced that when the appeal process is completed, Daniel Daga will clear his name and return to football stronger.
While the IBF and WBA are yet to comment on the status of Usyk’s belts, the WBC has confirmed that it will sanction his contest with Verhoeven.
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But the Ukrainian, of course, is widely expected to score a convincing victory over Verhoeven, whose only professional boxing contest came against 0-6 heavyweight Janos Finfera – who he stopped in the second round – in 2014.
Usyk, meanwhile, is coming off a fifth-round stoppage win over Daniel Dubois in July, dominating their rematch to become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion.
After his match with Verhoeven, Usyk has told Inside the Ring that he will target an undisputed clash with the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – which takes place on May 9 – before exploring a potential trilogy showdown with Tyson Fury.
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When asked if he would face heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma, though, Usyk simply insisted that the 21-year-old is on a completely different path.
“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy. I don’t want to break this guy.”
Itauma is gearing up to face durable customer Jermaine Franklin on March 28, with many expecting the American to take him into the later rounds.
There is little doubt amongst fans, analysts and fighters that Itauma is on the way to championship fights, but it appears he will not have the chance to face the top dog from the older generation.
