Wilder vs Opetaia Agreed for Fury-Joshua Undercard in Cardiff

Deontay Wilder has reportedly agreed to face Jai Opetaia on December 11 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, slotting the bout onto the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua. Journalist Dan Rafael reported that while the deal isn't signed, terms are in place — a matchup pitting two of the heaviest hitters in the sport against each other.

The numbers do the talking here. Wilder carries a 45-4-1 record with 43 knockouts, a finish rate north of 90 percent that still makes him the most feared one-punch threat in the division even at 41. Opetaia, meanwhile, is 31-0 with 24 stoppages and has never tasted defeat, though this would mark his jump up from cruiserweight to heavyweight.

Wilder arrives off a split-decision win over Derek Chisora in April, a messy 12-rounder in which he scored two knockdowns before the judges split. It wasn't vintage, but it kept him relevant. Opetaia is fresher still, having finished Noel Mikaelian in the ninth round last month.

A Winding Road to the Matchup

Getting here took some detours. Wilder briefly revisited talks for a clash with Oleksandr Usyk before those collapsed, then found himself linked to Opetaia and, separately, to David Benavidez for a cruiserweight showdown verbally penciled in for May 2027. Benavidez, now 32-0 (26 KO) and holding WBO and WBC straps, remains a live option down the line.

Murat Gassiev, the WBA 'regular' heavyweight titlist, had also been floated as a Wilder opponent. But Opetaia moving up a division appears to be the likelier play, and it's the kind of high-risk, high-reward fight that suits both men's styles — two punchers who tend to end nights early.

The Stakes Above Them

The whole card orbits the Fury-Joshua headliner, where the WBA 'super' heavyweight title is on the line and the winner becomes a three-time world champion. Joshua, 29-4 (26 KO), is coming off a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul — an unusual recent entry on the resume of a former unified champ. Whatever happens up top, Wilder-Opetaia gives Cardiff a genuine firefight worth the ticket.