Danny Green has applauded Jai Opetaia's decision to fight Deontay Wilder at heavyweight even if the former world champion still possesses a right hand that could "knock over a tank".
The unbeaten Australian (31-0) will step up from cruiserweight to face the former WBC champion (45-4-1) 10 years his senior, who had lost four of his last five fights before back-to-back wins in the past year.
It will serve as the main support act to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua's Cardiff main event on December 11, with that pair to split a purse of almost $300 million.
The bout is forecast to rake in more than $50 million in gate takings and shatter pay-per-view and streaming records to become the most lucrative ever staged on the continent and fourth-highest of all time.
It all points to a career-best pay day for Opetaia, who has been unsuccessful in his efforts to unify his IBF world title since winning it for the first time in 2022.
The Gold Coast-based fighter remains in a court battle with the IBF to be reinstated as their champion after he was stripped by the organisation for debuting with Zuffa Boxing, a new rebel league not recognised by the sport's traditional bodies.
Opetaia has forged ahead and even secured a handshake deal with David Benavidez after his latest win for a potential undisputed cruiserweight clash next May.
The Wilder fight was a chance for Opetaia to stay busy, and build a bigger profile, before his return to America next year to face Benavidez.
But that blockbuster is in doubt now that Oleksandr Usyk is keen to return from heavyweight and sweep the belts again by beating Benavidez.
"He's been trying to fight them for so long and they don't want a bar of him so if I was advising him I'd say take the fight, mate," Green, who won title across three divisions, including cruiserweight, in a 36-5 career, told AAP of Opetaia's frustrating situation.
"You're a prize fighter. Anyone who says he's only doing it for the money, must think to themselves, 'I'm not that intelligent', because that's what we do.
"We're prize fighters. Everyone goes to work to get paid."
Pundits are split on the fight, with Fury adamant the aging Wilder should be nowhere near the ring but Derek Chisora, beaten by Wilder in April, is tipping a brutal Wilder win.
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"Jai's a guy who likes challenges and this is a massive challenge," Green said.
"That right hand of Wilder could knock over a tank.
"It's an awesome fight that makes so much sense because it doesn't make sense, with the size difference.
"So I'm just pretty ****ing excited about it."
Australian Associated Press
