The most anticipated bout in British boxing history was officially confirmed Thursday morning, announcing that heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will finally face each other in the ring later this year.
This showdown has been a long time coming, nearly a decade in the making. Both fighters had held heavyweight titles as far back as 2016, but a matchup never came together. Attempts to arrange the fight resurfaced multiple times in 2019, 2021, and 2022—with both holding all four major heavyweight belts in 2021—but negotiations fell through each time.
In 2026, with Fury, aged 38, and Joshua, 36, approaching the twilight of their impressive careers, fans will at last witness the clash they’ve eagerly awaited.
When and where will the fight take place?
Fury and Joshua will go head-to-head on December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
While the stadium’s capacity of about 80,000 seats is 15,000 fewer than Wembley Stadium’s, the Principality’s fully retractable roof makes it a superior choice for hosting an outdoor event in December.
What time will they enter the ring?
Though exact ring-walk times are unofficial, it is anticipated that Fury and Joshua will make their entrances early Saturday morning UK time to accommodate a prime-time U.S. audience on Friday night.
The fight is expected to commence between 9 and 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Netflix.
Is a world title at stake?
Yes, the vacant WBA (Super) heavyweight title will be on the line, giving both fighters a chance to become three-time heavyweight champions.
Other heavyweight titleholders include Filip Hrgovic (IBF), Daniel Dubois (WBO), and Agit Kabayel (WBC), while Murat Gassiev holds the secondary WBA heavyweight championship.
When will the fighters meet for the press conference?
Fury and Joshua will meet face-to-face for the first time since the fight announcement at a press conference on September 30, held at British Airways i360 in London.
Although UFC CEO Dana White has expressed interest in promoting this historic fight, both Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, and Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, have stated that White, his company Zuffa Boxing, and the UFC’s parent company, TKO, will not be involved in promoting the event.
Netflix announced that Turki Alalshikh’s “The Ring” and Dana White would collaborate on promoting the fight, but Hearn has publicly denied this arrangement.
Who will be featured on the undercard?
Details about the undercard remain unconfirmed, though several bouts are under discussion.
Reliable sources, including Uncrowned, report ongoing negotiations for a co-main event pitting four-division champion Shakur Stevenson against legendary Manny Pacquiao.
Additionally, an all-American welterweight contest between Keyshawn Davis and Richardson Hitchins is expected, along with a potential matchup involving new IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic facing either Rico Verhoeven or Frank Sanchez.
Fan Take: This long-awaited Joshua vs. Fury fight represents a defining moment for British boxing and the heavyweight division worldwide. Not only will it settle debates about the era’s best heavyweight, but the global spotlight and Netflix partnership could also revolutionize how boxing events are presented, attracting a new generation of fans to the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
