Back on 8 October we asked the question.
Is Jai Opetaia really stepping up to face Deontay Wilder?
Well… Dana White just answered it.
The co-main of Fury vs Joshua is set. December 11. Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Live on Netflix worldwide.
Australia's unbeaten cruiserweight juggernaut — The Ring Magazine champion at 200 lb, 31-0 with 24 knockouts — is moving up to heavyweight for the first time.
Standing opposite him: the Bronze Bomber. Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs). Former WBC heavyweight champion. One of the hardest punchers the sport has ever seen.
Combined knockouts between them? Sixty-seven.
White himself called it "a very dangerous fight" for Opetaia. Then he added the line that tells you everything about the Gold Coast southpaw:
"He's a fighter; he'll fight anybody, even at heavyweight with a guy who hits as hard as Wilder does."
Wilder is 41. Last fight was a points win over Derek Chisora in London in April. He's lost four of his last seven.
Opetaia is ten years younger. Last time out, in Nevada in September, he stopped Noel Mikaelian in the ninth — then looked ringside and called out David Benavidez.
That's the fight he really wants. White says they've "got to figure that one out".
So Cardiff is the detour.
Walk into the fire with the Bronze Bomber. Then come home and chase the Mexican Monster.
That's the plan, anyway.
We'll leave you to draw your own conclusions !
🇦🇺 JAI OPETAIA (31-0, 24 KOs) v DEONTAY WILDER (45-4-1, 43 KOs) 🇺🇸
🥊 Heavyweight | 12 rounds (scheduled)
📅 11 December 2026
📍 Principality Stadium, Cardiff
📺 Netflix (global)
Stay tuned !
