Wilder and Opetaia reportedly agree fight for Fury–Joshua undercard

Deontay Wilder and Jai Opetaia have reportedly agreed a fight on the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua undercard, although contracts have not yet been signed.

Boxing reporter Dan Rafael reported the development on Friday, bringing the former WBC heavyweight champion closer to a meeting with the unbeaten Australian on the 11 December bill in Cardiff.

The Wilder vs Opetaia fight has not been formally announced. Netflix’s event page continues to list the undercard as still to be revealed.

Wilder vs Opetaia agreement reported

Rafael said an agreement had been reached, while making clear that the paperwork remained outstanding.

“Per source, while it’s not signed yet, deal is agreed to for Wilder-Opetaia to be on the Fury-Joshua card,” he wrote on X, in a post reproduced by Boxing News.

The report represents a development from the exploratory talks revealed earlier in October. At that stage, a meeting between Wilder and Opetaia was one of several possibilities being considered for the show.

No weight limit, number of rounds or title stakes have been confirmed publicly.

Dana White previously confirmed talks

Dana White had already identified Wilder as a possible opponent for Opetaia when discussing the Cardiff undercard with Sky Sports on 10 October.

White said Opetaia was likely to feature and confirmed that a Wilder fight was being worked on. He also acknowledged the danger of matching the Australian with the former heavyweight champion.

Read White’s comments to Sky Sports for the earlier position on negotiations.

Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel had also discussed the proposed contest, while Murat Gassiev and Rico Verhoeven featured in separate reports about possible opponents.

Verhoeven previously said he had accepted an offer to face Wilder. That was an earlier negotiation, rather than confirmation of the fight that would ultimately be made.

Our Wilder–Verhoeven report explains the background to that proposal.

A major test for Opetaia

Opetaia is unbeaten in 31 professional fights, with 24 victories inside the distance. A meeting with Wilder would take him into a very different assignment from the cruiserweight contests on which he has built his reputation.

Wilder’s record stands at 45 wins, four defeats and one draw, with 43 knockouts. His punching power remains the obvious threat to an opponent considering a move up in weight.

AAP reported in October that Opetaia had begun a training camp while discussions continued, although the proposed contest was not then a completed deal.

For Opetaia, beating a former heavyweight champion would be a significant addition to his record. For Wilder, the attraction would be a victory over an unbeaten opponent on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Those possibilities explain the interest in the match-up. The immediate question remains whether the reported agreement becomes a signed contest.

Joe Cordina also waiting on undercard decision

Joe Cordina is another fighter seeking a place on the Cardiff bill, with Manny Pacquiao discussed as a potential opponent.

Cordina has said he accepted the terms put to him, while promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed agreement on his fighter’s side without declaring the bout complete.

Cordina told Sky Sports on 23 October that he had been offered the fight but had not signed a contract. He reiterated his willingness to take it in a subsequent interview.

The position should therefore be described as Cordina agreeing his terms for a possible Pacquiao fight, rather than both men being confirmed for the card.

Our Fury vs Joshua undercard guide tracks the other proposed bouts.

When and where is Fury vs Joshua?

Fury and Joshua are scheduled to headline at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday 11 December.

Netflix confirms that the event will stream globally to its members at no additional cost. Its published event guide says further undercard fighters will be announced later.

Detail	Current position
Main event	Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua
Event date	Friday 11 December 2026
Venue	Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Broadcaster	Netflix
Wilder vs Opetaia	Agreement reported by Dan Rafael; contracts unsigned in that report
Pacquiao vs Cordina	Cordina’s side has agreed terms; fight not confirmed