Deontay Wilder’s side has agreed to terms for a heavyweight meeting with Jai Opetaia on the Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua undercard, per Dan Rafael. That step nudges an odd co-feature closer to reality, even if the bout still needs an official green light.
Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel, told Rafael that their team gave the okay and is simply waiting on final sanctioning. Finkel noted that discussions regarding an encounter with Murat Gassiev occurred as well.
The proposal is on the table, though nothing is finalized. Wilder against Opetaia sounds nearly as bizarre as the debunked rumors pairing Manny Pacquiao with Shakur Stevenson. The difference is that paper exists here, even if the competitive logic feels thin.
Wilder is 40 and nearing the end of his run. Opetaia is 31, an elite cruiserweight jumping up in weight to take on an opponent whose marquee value outstrips his current form. Nearly a decade separates them, placing both men in drastically different stages of their journeys.
Wilder’s regression is well documented. The trademark right hand is dangerous against anyone stepping up in size, yet that single equalizer cannot carry the entire promotion. Defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang proved how quiet his offense becomes whenever foes take away his ideal launching lane.
Opetaia would certainly benefit from the spotlight of a massive pay-per-view platform. Even so, taking down an aging Wilder will tell observers very little about his viability against the division’s genuine contenders.
That reality exposes the flaw in the matchup. Wilder offers star power plus puncher’s luck. Opetaia brings youth and sharpness, but he has to jump weight classes just to make the attraction fit. Placing the bout on the undercard gives organizers another famous belt holder to market. It also highlights the growing sense that the event relies on nostalgic star power past its prime.
Finkel agreeing to the bout advances the paperwork, but it does nothing to turn this into a sensible contest. Putting him in with Opetaia only deepens the old-timers circus feel to the event. Opetaia is in his prime, fast, southpaw, and disciplined enough to pick apart a stationary target. Wilder getting outboxed or stopped by a cruiserweight moving up will not legitimize Opetaia as a real heavyweight threat; it will simply confirm that Wilder is completely washed up.