Wilder to Face Opetaia on Fury-Joshua Undercard
American former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will face Jai Opetaia on the Fury-Joshua undercard in Cardiff on December 11, organisers said on Wednesday.
Opetaia, Australia’s undefeated cruiserweight world champion, will move up to heavyweight to fight a former champion of the division. The bout will be the co-main event on a card headlined by the long-awaited meeting between Fury and Joshua at the Principality Stadium.
UFC chief executive and Zuffa Boxing co-founder Dana White announced the fight on social media in a video on Wednesday. White said the two fighters had a combined 67 knockouts between them, and added that fans should not miss the fight, which will be shown live only on Netflix.
A heavyweight test for an undefeated champion
Opetaia arrives with a professional record of 31 wins and no defeats, and he is regarded as one of the leading cruiserweights in the sport. Moving up to heavyweight is a major step, because the division brings bigger punchers, heavier shots and a different kind of physical pressure.
Wilder, 41, held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020 and owns a professional record of 45 wins, four defeats and one draw. He is best known for his punching power, and his record explains why White chose to highlight the combined knockout total when announcing the bout.
The contrast is what makes the fight interesting. Opetaia brings youth, speed and an unbeaten record built at cruiserweight. Wilder brings heavyweight experience, a long reign as champion and a reputation as one of the hardest punchers of his generation. The question is whether Opetaia’s skills travel with him to the heavier division, or whether Wilder’s power settles the contest early.
Opetaia’s move also mirrors a familiar pattern in boxing, where a dominant cruiserweight tests himself against the bigger men. Success at the higher weight would immediately place him among the leading heavyweights. Defeat would still leave him with the option of returning to cruiserweight, where he remains unbeaten.
The Fury-Joshua undercard around it
The Wilder-Opetaia bout sits beneath the main event that British boxing fans have demanded for more than a decade. Fury and Joshua, both former heavyweight champions, will meet for the first time, ending years of speculation and failed negotiations over the matchup.
The fight was officially announced by Saudi boxing chief Turki Al-Sheikh in September, after a weeks-long saga over the venue. Cardiff’s Principality Stadium was chosen, and reports since the announcement say the stadium has already sold out. The card will also be broadcast on Netflix, which gives the event a global streaming audience beyond the crowd in Cardiff.
That context matters for Wilder and Opetaia. A co-main event slot on a sold-out, globally streamed card gives both men a large audience, and a strong performance could reshape their standing in the heavyweight division. For Wilder, it is a chance to show he remains a force at 41. For Opetaia, it is a chance to announce himself as a heavyweight.
Why White’s announcement drew attention
White’s video announcement also added fuel to his ongoing feud with promoter Eddie Hearn over White’s involvement in the Fury-Joshua event. Hearn has long promoted Joshua, and the presence of Zuffa Boxing on the card has been a talking point in the build-up.
White framed the announcement simply, telling fans the co-main event was officially set. The message was short, but it confirmed a bout that had been rumoured and gave the undercard a clear headline fight of its own.
For boxing fans, the undercard now has its own story. It is not only a warm-up for Fury against Joshua, but a genuine crossroads fight between a former heavyweight champion and an undefeated champion moving up in weight.
What to watch on December 11
Three things will decide the Wilder-Opetaia fight. The first is whether Opetaia can handle Wilder’s power over the full distance, or whether he must box and move to avoid the big right hand. The second is whether Wilder, at 41, can still set traps and land cleanly against a younger, faster opponent. The third is how Opetaia’s punch resistance holds up when the shots come from a full heavyweight rather than a cruiserweight.
The main event will rightly take most of the attention in Cardiff. But the co-main event has the ingredients of a memorable fight in its own right, and the winner will leave the Principality Stadium with a strong claim to a bigger fight in 2027.
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Frequently asked questions
Who will Wilder fight on the Fury-Joshua undercard?
Deontay Wilder will face Jai Opetaia, Australia’s undefeated cruiserweight world champion, who is moving up to heavyweight.
When and where is the fight?
The fight is on the Fury-Joshua card at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11.
What are the fighters’ records?
Wilder owns a record of 45 wins, four defeats and one draw, while Opetaia is unbeaten with 31 wins. Dana White said the two have a combined 67 knockouts.
Who announced the fight?
UFC chief executive and Zuffa Boxing co-founder Dana White announced the bout on social media in a video on Wednesday.
How can fans watch the fight?
The fight will be shown live only on Netflix, according to White’s announcement.
