JAI OPETAIA TO MAKE HEAVYWEIGHT DEBUT AGAINST DEONTAY WILDER

Jai Opetaia will make his heavyweight debut against Deontay Wilder in an announced bout at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday, 11 December. The contest forms part of the undercard for Tyson Fury’s fight against Anthony Joshua. David Benavidez said he and Opetaia have verbally agreed to meet at cruiserweight next May. “Both of us have good fights until we have our showdown next May,” Benavidez said.

Benavidez holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles and has a three-belt unification fight scheduled against WBC champion Michal Cieslak next month. Opetaia has an ongoing lawsuit against the IBF and hopes to regain recognition as its world champion. His planned meeting with Benavidez therefore sits alongside a legal effort to recover a cruiserweight title. Benavidez described Wilder’s right hand as a danger for Opetaia: “Deontay Wilder, say what you want about him, he still has that fast right-hand.”

Barry McGuigan said Opetaia signed with Zuffa in January and described the Cardiff appearance as an opportunity for exposure through Netflix. McGuigan credited Opetaia with 31 wins, including 24 by knockout. He also noted that Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion, has suffered stoppages in three of his four defeats. McGuigan favoured Opetaia in the contest, citing his timing, hand speed and punching ability.