Deontay Wilder returns to action next month in a heavyweight showdown with Jai Opetaia on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua card, and two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi has cast his verdict on the contest.
Wilder overcame Derek Chisora earlier this year to re-announce himself as a threat to the heavyweight throne and he has been linked to a clash with Oleksandr Usyk throughout 2026.
Once a proposed duel with Usyk collapsed, it was soon revealed that Wilder would instead appear on the Fury-Joshua bill, tasked with two-time IBF cruiserweight world champion Opetaia.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Malignaggi praised the mentality that Wilder showed in his split-decision triumph over Chisora.
“We have seen Jai look really, really good and I would say that like Wilder looked – not necessarily like the old Wilder – but there was a lot of fight in him in the Chisora fight.
“There was a lot more fight than the ayahuasca Deontay Wilder that he saw against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. He brought it back to the ‘Bomb Squad’ type of mentality.
“He may have been past his prime but the mentality was still there and when he has the ‘Bomb Squad’ mentality, he is swinging for the fences and when Deontay is swinging for the fences, Deontay is a dangerous, dangerous guy – especially for a smaller guy like Jai Opetaia.”
Malignaggi then went on to label Opetaia as ‘a little bit chinny’, despite his undefeated record, suggesting that an upset could be on the cards and that 41-year-old Wilder may emerge victorious.
“Jai is a good fighter, Jai can punch and I think that Jai will still be able to hurt Wilder, but he also has himself been buzzed at cruiserweight. He is a little bit chinny, in my opinion, even as good as he is.
“If you are a little bit chinny at cruiserweight and you go up to heavyweight and fight Wilder – who is one of, if not the biggest puncher ever – I think that fight could be a little bit chippy there.”
Fury-Joshua takes place on Friday, December 11, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with Opetaia-Wilder being one of three heavyweight bouts already confirmed for the undercard.
