A heavyweight clash between former champion Deontay Wilder and Jai Opetaia has been booked for Dec. 11, Ring Magazine announced Wednesday.
The bout will serve as the co-main event to the long-awaited heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The event will stream live on Netflix.
Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) will look to reestablish himself as one of the most elite heavyweight fighters on the planet, while Opetaia (31-0, 24 KOs) could embark on a new chapter, following years of dominance at cruiserweight.
Fighting out of Australia, Opetaia stopped WBC champion Noel Mikaelian on Sept. 12 in Las Vegas, but he did not claim his belt due to a sanctioning dispute. Opetaia, 31, is nevertheless considered one of best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. ESPN ranks Opetaia, who is signed to Dana White's Zuffa Boxing promotional company, No. 9 on its pound-for-pound list.
Wilder, 40, held the WBC heavyweight championships from 2015 to 2020. He is regarded as one of the most feared punchers of his generation, and his trilogy with Fury stands as one of the defining rivalries of this heavyweight era. He is 2-2 in his past four bouts dating back to 2023, including a split decision win over Derek Chisora in April in London.
