Epic Heavyweight Bout in Cardiff
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to Fight in Cardiff This December
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Key Points
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The fight was announced by Turki Alalshikh, who described it as “one of the biggest fights in boxing history”; Alalshikh’s The Ring will collaborate with Dana White on the event.
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The matchup has a long history of setbacks: the bout collapsed in 2021, and the final venue dispute nearly sent it to New York, with plans for a Manhattan news conference reportedly underway.
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Hearn said organizers were discussing a later-than-usual main-card start to reach a worldwide audience, but he doubted the bout would begin as late as 3 a.m. BST; stadium and council arrangements were among the details being worked through.
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The Yahoo article says Fury received a backdated two-year ban in 2017 after testing positive for nandrolone; Fury said the finding resulted from eating contaminated wild boar meat. The article notes that neither Joshua nor Hearn accused him of wrongdoing over the current testing questions.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will finally fight on December 11 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium after years of collapsed negotiations, with the bout streamed globally on Netflix at no extra cost. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, announced the matchup as "one of the biggest fights in boxing history," ending a 15-year saga of setbacks and venue disputes that nearly sent the bout to New York.
The fight was locked down after Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn enforced a contractual clause requiring the bout stay in the UK, rejecting lucrative U.S. offers. A press conference is scheduled for September 30 in London. Joshua raised questions about differing anti-doping provisions in the fighters' contracts, though Hearn clarified that neither fighter was accusing the other of wrongdoing.
A Superfight Delayed for Fifteen Years
The Fury-Joshua clash has been boxing's white whale. Initial contracts signed in 2021 collapsed due to legal disputes and arbitrations. Both fighters remained inactive until signing fresh deals in April 2026. After comeback victories in July—Fury defeating Mariusz Wach, Joshua knocking out Kristian Prenga—organizers finally pushed the fight across the finish line in September.
Joshua Blocks U.S. Move, Keeps Fight in Cardiff
In mid-September, Netflix and organizers attempted to pivot the bout to Madison Square Garden in New York for a November 20 date, citing prime-time U.S. viewership. Joshua and Hearn refused, invoking a contractual clause demanding a UK venue. Cardiff was chosen over Wembley Stadium because of its retractable roof and flexible council curfew permits for late-night broadcasts.
A Borderless Broadcast at No Extra Cost
The fight will stream globally on Netflix with no pay-per-view charge for subscribers. Organizers are discussing a late-night main-card start—potentially between 1 and 2 a.m. BST—to hit U.S. prime time. Hearn said the bout will not begin as late as 3 a.m. BST, with stadium and council arrangements still being finalized. Total event revenue is estimated near $200 million.
The Doping Question and Fury's Past
Joshua raised concerns about differing anti-doping enrollment rules in each fighter's contract. Fury received a backdated two-year ban in 2017 after testing positive for nandrolone; he claimed the result came from eating contaminated wild boar meat. Hearn and Joshua stressed they were not accusing Fury of wrongdoing, describing the inquiry as routine compliance checking rather than serious allegation.
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