Ring Magazine/IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is on the verge of being stripped of his sanctioning body belt.

The undefeated 28-year-old Australian southpaw was warned last week by the IBF that this would be the likely outcome if he proceeds with his voluntary title defense against England’s Zorro Ellis (17-0, 7 KOs) on the massive ‘Day of Reckoning’ card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 23.

According to the IBF’s rationale, Opetaia (23-0, 18 KOs) is due to face his mandatory contender Mairis Briedis next. The 38-year-old Latvian veteran, a two-time former champ who holds an impressive record of 28-2 with 20 KOs, is currently injured and unavailable to box.

An agreement was reached in principle between the Opetaia and Briedis camps to fight in late March or early April 2024 in Saudi Arabia. The bout would be a rematch of their thrilling July 2022 bout in Australia that Opetaia won by unanimous decision despite a broken jaw. The victory earned Opetaia the IBF belt and recognition as The Ring champion after beating the number one cruiserweight on the planet.

Ellis remains unranked by the New Jersey-based sanctioning body, who have been lobbied by the unbeaten 31-year-old’s promoter Queensberry Promotions to find a spot for him in their top 15. To date, the IBF have not done this and have shown no indication that they will.

Opetaia, who is reportedly set to receive $450,000 for the Ellis fight and much more for the Briedis rematch, received an exemption from the IBF to face Britain’s Jordan Thompson (15-1, 12 KOs) in his last bout in October. Opetaia won that fight by an impressive fourth-round knockout.

The IBF says there is no provision in their rules for back-to-back exemptions, regardless of the circumstances.

“We’ve made it clear to Jai’s team that he cannot fight Ellis Zorro for the title,” the IBF said through a spokesperson to Fox Sports Australia.

“We had already given Jai an exemption to fight Jordan Thompson in his last fight, so he can’t get another exemption to fight Zorro, who does not have a world ranking.

“In our rules, it can’t be done. He can’t have back-to-back exemptions.

“If we break the rules for Jai, it opens the floodgates for everyone else.

“The IBF have notified Jai’s team that he cannot fight Zorro — we’ve said his next fight has to be a mandatory against Briedis.

“If Jai Opetaia goes ahead and fights Zorro, he will be stripped of his IBF world title.”

Opetaia’s co-promoter Eddie Hearn labeled the decision “really disappointing.”

“We’ve just got to have a little bit of common sense,” the Matchroom Boxing chief told Boxing Social.

“You’ve got the No. 1 in the division, who is going to vacate his belt. The belts are going to start not to matter.

“He’s got a two-fight deal in Saudi and it’s life-changing money for him. So what are you going to do? Give it all up? Because of a silly decision by a committee?

“I think belts matter. To be a world champion holds value, no question. But you shouldn’t let it disrupt and distract your career.

“For Jai, those two fights could finally secure his future and his children’s future. You’re going to let a belt and a governing body and a committee stop you from doing that? We should all abide by rules, but if rules are inconsistent or unfair, you have to stand up against them?”

Fortunately for Opetaia, he retains the only belt in boxing that truly matters.

“I believe that anyone who has The Ring championship is the best fighter in the world in their weight division,” Opetaia said in an exclusive interview last month.

“I feel like holding the cruiserweight belt is a privilege. It’s a badge of honor to be able to carry that around. To be able to defend it the way I did, it’s an honor. It’s a good feeling to be able to carry that belt over my shoulder.”