Deontay Wilder's knockout power meets unbeaten cruiserweight champ Jai Opetaia on the Fury-Joshua card in Cardiff on 11 December.
The Cardiff bill just got another heavyweight-sized storyline. Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will fight unbeaten Australian cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua, organizers confirmed on Wednesday.
Opetaia is jumping up to heavyweight for the occasion, and the opponent he has chosen is one of the most feared punchers the division has seen. Wilder, now 41, has won 43 of his 45 victories by knockout. For a man who has built a career on one-shot finishes, that is a frightening record to step in front of.
The contrast is the selling point. Opetaia arrives with an unbeaten record and a world title from a lower weight class, and he will test whether his skills and timing can hold up against Wilder's raw power. Wilder, meanwhile, gets a fresh and dangerous name to add to a long highlight reel.
The card goes down at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 11 December and will stream live worldwide on Netflix. With Fury and Joshua headlining and Wilder-Opetaia underneath, the bill is already stacked with knockout potential.
