Boxing’s heavyweight division takes center stage on Dec. 11 — not just in the main event, but also on the undercard.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua meet in their long-awaited all-British clash in the Netflix headliner at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Last week, it was announced that a battle of ex-world champions will take place in the co-feature, with former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder fighting two-time IBF titlist Jai Opetaia.
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Now, two more heavyweight fights have been added to the card.
U.S. prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter will make a quick turnaround to clash with Michael Essomba, while Martin Bakole returns to the ring against Solomon Adebayo.
Vanhouter (14-0, 11 KOs) stopped Ivan Balaz on the Zuffa Boxing 12 undercard in London on Saturday. It will be a five-week turnaround for Dana White’s heavyweight prospect, who fights for the fifth time in 2026.
Belgium’s Essomba (11-2, 10 KOs) has lost two of his past four bouts. He fell short by majority decision to Mattar Garcia in 2024, but then put together two wins in 2025 before being outpointed by Angelo Morejon this past April.
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Bakole (21-2-1, 16 KOs) established himself as the heavyweight division’s boogeyman after his fifth-round upset knockout of Jared Anderson in August 2024. He has not won a fight since, though.
Bakole was stopped by Joseph Parker in two rounds on short notice in February 2025 when he stepped in for Daniel Dubois, and then fought to a draw against Efe Ajagba in May 2025.
Adebayo (15-0, 14 KOs), from Nigeria, has never fought outside of Africa. His record largely consists of unheralded opposition, and thus it will be a big step up for him against Bakole.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
