Jay Obitaya will lose his IBF cruiserweight title if he fights for the Zuffa Boxing Belt

Jay Obitaya is set to lose his IBF cruiserweight title if he goes through with his fight against Brandon Glanton on Sunday.

Obitaya is scheduled to compete with Glanton for the Zuffa World Boxing Middleweight Title, but the International Boxing Federation said it had “withdrawn the sanction of the optional defense” of his belt.

The International Boxing Federation said it initially approved the bout because Obitaya’s team told them that the Zuffa boxing bout in Las Vegas would not be a unification bout and that any belt awarded “would serve as a trophy or token of appreciation.”

However, he added that after a press conference on Friday, “it was made clear that the Zuffa World Cruiserweight title would remain in dispute,” and since the International Boxing Federation does not recognize Zuffa Boxing, it was now an unsanctioned bout.

“For the purpose of unifying titles, outstanding champions of the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) may be classified as ‘elite contenders’ and may be permitted to fight for the unified title,” the AIBA said in a statement.

He added: “An unsanctioned contest is a match whose sanction has not been officially approved by the International Boxing Federation or in which the sanction has been officially withdrawn.

“If the champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the champion wins or loses the bout.”

Australian Obitaya, 30, holds the ring cruiserweight title.