Deontay Wilder will fight Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s bout with Anthony Joshua in December at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Their matchup is set to be the co-main event, with the WBA ‘super’ heavyweight title on the line.
Opetaia, 31, is the unbeaten WBA ‘regular’ cruiserweight champion and will move up to heavyweight for the first time. He has a record of 31 wins, including 24 knockouts. Wilder, 41, is a former world champion with 45 wins, four losses and one draw, and has recorded 43 knockouts.
Wilder held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020. He has lost two of his past four fights, but most recently beat Derek Chisora by split decision in April. The American also fought Fury three times, recording a draw and two defeats.
For Opetaia, the bout offers a new challenge after years at cruiserweight. He stopped WBC champion Noel Mikaelian in September, but could not claim the belt because of a sanctioning dispute. Wilder, meanwhile, will attempt to become the first professional boxer to defeat Opetaia.
The remaining fights on the card have yet to be announced. Tickets for the main event sold out in less than an hour, with the ringwalks expected to begin at around 01:00 GMT on 12 December after a short live music performance. The stadium is due to remain open until 03:30.
Sources: BBC Sport.