Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will finally meet in the ring, with their long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown confirmed for Friday, December 11, at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
The venue had been one of the major issues holding up negotiations for the highly anticipated clash between the two former world champions and long-time rivals.
Fury had repeatedly taken to social media to blame Joshua for the delay, while at one point even suggesting a trilogy bout with Oleksandr Usyk, against whom both fighters have suffered two defeats.
“For 15 years no one has been able to make this fight. Back in April, I said that any announcement would come from me,” Turki Alalshikh wrote on X.
“I can now confirm that Fury Vs Joshua will be coming to the UK, as I promised British boxing fans. The time for talking is over……..”
The exact start time for the fight is yet to be confirmed, although reports suggest it could take place in the early hours of Saturday morning in the UK to accommodate US television audiences.
Fury and Joshua are both expected to attend a joint press conference in London on Wednesday, September 30.
The two fighters quickly shared the promotional image for the bout on their respective social media platforms.
Shortly before Alalshikh’s announcement, Joshua posted a cryptic message, appearing to hint at his involvement in the lengthy negotiations.
“The quietest ones often pull the strings,” Joshua wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of himself in front of a Union Jack. “Those who appear least involved may hold the greatest control. Let them shout first, the wisest wait until the final move. Yours truly, Anthony Joshua.”
Joshua and Fury, both former heavyweight world champions, have shared a long-standing rivalry marked by years of callouts and trash talk, although efforts to finalise their fight have repeatedly proved difficult.
The British boxing stars agreed to face each other earlier this year, but months went by without a confirmed date or venue. Negotiations became more complicated as a move to New York’s Madison Square Garden emerged as a serious possibility.
The bout once again looked close to falling apart, with Fury threatening to explore other options.
However, the all-British clash has now been rescued, with a date finally set for the fight at a UK stadium.
