Wilder On Opetaia Heavyweight Clash At Fury-Joshua

Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will face undefeated Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight titleholder Jai Opetaia in a heavyweight bout on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua undercard Dec. 11 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Netflix confirmed the matchup Wednesday, per MMA Fighting, adding another marquee name to the promotion's biggest boxing card of the year. Wilder brings a 45-4-1 record and 43 knockouts into the fight, while Opetaia moves up from cruiserweight with an unblemished 31-0 mark.

Wilder Rebounds After Four-Fight Skid

Wilder has won his last two outings after dropping four of five fights between 2020 and 2024, including back-to-back losses to Fury and defeats against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. The 41-year-old former champion remains one of boxing's most dangerous punchers despite the recent slide.

Opetaia claimed the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight belt by stopping Brandon Glanton in March before defending it with a ninth-round finish of Noel Mikaelian in September. The Australian last competed at heavyweight in 2017, making the Dec. 11 bout his first appearance in the division in nine years.

UFC CEO Dana White announced the fight alongside Netflix, though promoter Eddie Hearn has questioned White's role in the Fury-Joshua promotion. The Cardiff stadium hosts the event in just over a month.

Reported via:

• ESPN Boxing — Wilder-Opetaia to serve as co-main event on Fury-Joshua card
• MMA Fighting — Deontay Wilder vs. Jai Opetaia announced for Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua undercard