Deontay Wilder will face Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s bout with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on 11 December, organizers announced Wednesday. Opetaia, the unbeaten Australian cruiserweight world champion, will move up to heavyweight for the fight at the Principality Stadium. Netflix will stream the event worldwide.
Wilder, 41, held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020 and made 10 successful defenses before losing the belt to Fury. He has 45 wins, four losses and one draw as a professional, with 43 of his victories coming by knockout. The American has returned to winning ways with recent victories over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon and Derek Chisora, following losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang in 2024.
Opetaia, 31, has won all 31 of his professional fights and established himself as a leading cruiserweight. He won the IBF world title by beating Mairis Briedis in 2022 and will make his heavyweight debut against Wilder. Opetaia represented Australia at the 2012 London Olympics, aged 16.
The matchup adds another major bout to a card headlined by Fury and Joshua. The event is scheduled for Friday night, with the main-event ringwalks at the Principality Stadium expected in the early hours of Saturday. The broadcast timing is intended to serve a prime-time audience in the United States.
Both Fury and Joshua are seeking to return to the top of the heavyweight division after suffering two defeats each to Oleksandr Usyk. Fury has won twice since returning to the ring, while Joshua has been rebuilding after his 2024 knockout loss to Daniel Dubois.
Sources: The Guardian Sport.