TLDR
- Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will fight December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium
- The fight location was a major stumbling block during negotiations for months
- The bout will be for the WBA ‘super’ heavyweight title vacated by Oleksandr Usyk
- Main event starts in early Saturday morning hours to accommodate US television audiences
- Jack Catterall has challenged Teofimo Lopez to a title defense on the undercard
Sources: skysports.com | boxingnewsonline.net
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will finally meet in the ring on December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. The long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown was confirmed by event organizer Turki Alalshikh on September 25.
The fight location had been a major stumbling block during negotiations. Alalshikh wrote on social media that “for 15 years no one has been able to make this fight” before confirming the bout would take place in the UK as promised to British boxing fans.
Fury had taken to social media multiple times to blame Joshua for delays. He even discussed a potential trilogy fight against Oleksandr Usyk, against whom both British fighters have lost twice.
Eddie Hearn just went off after Dana White posted the official Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua announcement 😬
“Dana White CANNOT be involved in this fight. Netflix clearly didn’t get the memo… You silly soppy tit. You’ve lost mate. Give it up, son. I’ll be speaking with Netflix… pic.twitter.com/zxfRcua6sK
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) September 24, 2026
WBA Title on the Line
The fight will be for the WBA ‘super’ heavyweight title that Usyk vacated. Ring Magazine reported that Murat Gassiev will be demoted from WBA primary champion to make room for the Fury-Joshua title fight.
Joshua posted a cryptic message on Instagram shortly before the official announcement. “The quietest ones often pull the strings,” he wrote alongside a photo of himself in front of a Union Jack flag.
The main event will start in the early hours of Saturday morning, December 12. Cardiff Council confirmed this timing was chosen to cater to US television audiences.
Fury and Joshua will appear together at a press conference in London on September 30. Netflix will broadcast the fight globally.
Dana White, who was named in the official announcement alongside Alalshikh and The Ring, called it a fight fans have been demanding for more than a decade. “Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring,” White said.
Potential Undercard Addition
The Principality Stadium has hosted major boxing events before. Joshua fought there twice previously, against Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker.
Event organizers promised a “star-studded undercard” to be announced later. One potential addition could be a welterweight title fight between Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall.
Catterall challenged Lopez on social media to defend his WBA welterweight title on the Fury-Joshua card. “Hey mate, you fancy scrapping on the fury aj card? If not don’t worry, I’ll come to America and get my belt,” Catterall wrote on September 22.
Lopez won his WBA title with a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero last month. He must now make a mandatory defense against Catterall, who claimed the WBA ‘Regular’ title by defeating Shakhram Giyasov in May.
According to boxing journalist Dan Rafael, Lopez is considering vacating his welterweight belt to pursue other opportunities. However, WBA president Gilberto Mendoza stated both parties have until October 22 to reach an agreement or face a purse bid hearing.
Joshua’s most recent fight in July almost ended in disaster. Little-known Kristian Prenga knocked him down twice in the first round before Joshua rallied to stop Prenga in the second round.
The official announcement did not include Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, the long-time promoters of Fury and Joshua respectively. The statement only namechecked Alalshikh, The Ring, and Dana White as involved parties.
