Dana White confirms Jai Opetaia-Deontay Wilder likely to be on Fury-Joshua undercard

Dana White has confirmed that Jai Opetaia is being lined up to move to heavyweight and face Deontay Wilder on the December 12 Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua undercard in Cardiff, Wales.

Zuffa Boxing’s Opetaia, 31, has often voiced his intention to eventually move up to heavyweight and could be about to put his ambition to win all cruiserweight belts on hold to do so.

Wilder, 45-4-1 (43 KOs), is no longer the force he was during his reign as WBC heavyweight champion. However, the 40-year-old returned to form of sorts in April when he outpointed Derek Chisora over 12 gruelling rounds.

“Jai Opetaia is more than likely going to be on the [Fury-Joshua] undercard,” White told Sky Sports. “[Wilder] is one that we've been talking about and working on.

“[Opetaia] is willing to fight anybody. It's a very dangerous fight for him considering where he sits in his division right now.

“But he's a fighter. He'll fight anybody, even at heavyweight with a guy who hits as hard as Wilder does.”

Despite the possibility of facing Wilder, Opetaia, 31-0 (24 KOs), remains eager to secure a showdown with David Benavidez, his leading rival at cruiserweight.

“That's the fight he really wants. He wants that fight so we've got to figure that one out,” White said.

“He wants to stay active, he wants to fight and he doesn't care if it's at heavyweight or wherever, he's ready to go.”

Wilder, who is understood to have agreed to the terms of a bout with Opetaia, was previously in talks with Oleksandr Usyk until negotiations stalled due to financial reasons.