Two more heavyweight fights have been confirmed for the Fury vs Joshua card at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday, December 11, 2026. Netflix announced on November 11 that Martin Bakole will face unbeaten Solomon Adebayo, and American prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter will take on Michael Essomba.
That makes four confirmed bouts, all at heavyweight. The preliminary fights are expected to be announced soon.
Fury vs Joshua Undercard: Confirmed Fights
| Bout | Records | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua | 36-2-1 vs 30-4 | Main event |
| Deontay Wilder vs Jai Opetaia | 45-4-1 vs 31-0 | Co-feature |
| Martin Bakole vs Solomon Adebayo | 21-2-1 vs 15-0 | Confirmed November 11 |
| Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs Michael Essomba | 14-0 vs 11-2 | Confirmed November 11 |
Martin Bakole vs Solomon Adebayo
Bakole (21-2-1, 16 KOs) was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and fights out of Scotland. He rose up the rankings with wins over Carlos Takam and a fifth-round knockout of Jared Anderson in 2024. Things then went wrong: he took a fight with Joseph Parker on short notice in February 2025 and was stopped in two rounds, then drew with Efe Ajagba three months later. Cardiff is his first fight in well over a year.
Adebayo (15-0, 14 KOs) is unbeaten and has stopped almost everyone he has faced, but this is a big step up in level. Bakole’s size and experience make him the clear name on paper.
Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs Michael Essomba
Vanhouter (14-0, 11 KOs) is one of the most talked-about young American heavyweights and fights under Zuffa Boxing. He stopped Ivan Balaz in the first round in London on November 7, so Cardiff will come just five weeks later. It will be his fifth fight of 2026.
Essomba (11-2, 10 KOs) also carries real power, with ten stoppages from eleven wins. He is the underdog, but he will be looking to spoil a rising prospect’s night on the biggest stage of his career.
A Note on the Matchups
Most reports, including The Independent, Boxing News and Yahoo Sports, list the pairings as Bakole vs Adebayo and Vanhouter vs Essomba. One outlet listed them the other way round. We are following the majority of sources and will update this post if the official fight order says otherwise.
What About Parker vs Clarke?
Joseph Parker vs Frazer Clarke was not part of this announcement. Clarke has said he accepted the fight, but it has not been confirmed. Manny Pacquiao is no longer expected on the card. More fights are due to be added before December 11.
Follow every change on our Fury vs Joshua undercard page, read the Wilder vs Opetaia guide and check the Fury vs Joshua start time for your time zone.
Sources: The Independent via Yahoo Sports, Boxing News and Fightmag.
