The heavyweight division dominates the December 11 Netflix card at Principality Stadium, with two new bouts added to the undercard for the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua headliner. Following the announcement of the Deontay Wilder vs. Jai Opetaia co-feature, promoters have confirmed that U.S. prospect Da’mazion Vanhouter will face Michael Essomba, while Martin Bakole returns to the ring against Solomon Adebayo. These additions ensure that the entire card features heavyweight action, elevating the stakes for the all-British main event.
Vanhouter and Bakole join Wilder-Opetaia in stacked Cardiff undercard
Da’mazion Vanhouter (14-0, 11 KOs) faces a significant scheduling challenge as he prepares for his fifth fight of 2026. The Dana White-backed prospect recently stopped Ivan Balaz on the Zuffa Boxing 12 undercard in London, giving him only a five-week turnaround for this bout. His opponent, Belgium’s Michael Essomba (11-2, 10 KOs), is coming off a mixed 2025 campaign. After a majority decision loss to Mattar Garcia in 2024, Essomba secured two wins in 2025 before suffering an outpointing defeat to Angelo Morejon in April, making this a crucial fight to reset his momentum.
The inclusion of these two heavyweight bouts creates a deep and competitive undercard that complements the high-profile Wilder-Opetaia clash. Fans can expect a full evening of heavyweight boxing in Cardiff, with every bout on the card carrying significant weight in the division. The stacked lineup underscores the prestige of the Netflix event and provides multiple opportunities for up-and-coming talents to gain exposure on a global stage ahead of the Fury-Joshua showdown.
Source: Yahoo Sports
