Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are set to finally settle one of British boxing’s most enduring rivalries when they meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11.
The highly anticipated all-British heavyweight clash has been more than a decade in the making, following years of negotiations, failed agreements and uncertainty over whether the two former world champions would ever step into the ring against each other.
The bout will be streamed globally on Netflix, with organisers reportedly considering a late-night start in the United Kingdom to make the event accessible to audiences in the United States.
Joshua, 36, and Fury, 38, are expected to make their first joint public appearance ahead of the fight at a press conference in London on Wednesday, September 30.
The contest is being promoted through a partnership involving Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh’s The Ring and UFC president Dana White, who has described the meeting as one of the biggest fights in boxing history.
“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together,” Alalshikh said.
The announcement ends years of failed attempts to bring the two British stars together.
In 2020, their respective camps reached an agreement in principle for a two-fight series. The following year, contracts were reportedly signed for an undisputed heavyweight championship bout. However, Deontay Wilder’s successful arbitration case led to Fury being required to face the American for a third time.
A further attempt to make the Joshua-Fury fight in 2022 also fell through, despite reports that Joshua had agreed to a 60-40 financial split in Fury’s favour.
With both fighters now committed to the contest, Cardiff was selected as the venue after Wembley Stadium and Madison Square Garden in New York were also considered.
The Principality Stadium has previously hosted major boxing events, including Joe Calzaghe’s victory over Mikkel Kessler in 2007.
Joshua had expressed a preference for staging the fight in Britain, while his promoter Eddie Hearn welcomed the confirmation of the long-awaited contest.
“For more than a decade, boxing fans have been clamouring for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua,” White said.
“Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring.”
The meeting represents more than just another heavyweight bout. Fury and Joshua have been among the most prominent figures in the division for over a decade, with their careers repeatedly moving in parallel while a fight between them remained out of reach.
That long wait is now nearing its end.
Thousands of boxing fans are expected to travel to Cardiff for what could become one of the biggest boxing events staged in Britain in recent years.
After years of debate over which fighter would prevail, the December 11 showdown will finally give fans the opportunity to see Fury and Joshua settle the question inside the ring.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar