Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury: The Complete Fight Guide

After more than a decade of failed talks, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will finally meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday 11 December 2026, live on Netflix. Last night’s first press conference in London gave us billing rows, landlord jibes, a sparring black eye dispute and a promise of a “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral”. Here is everything you need to know about the date, the venue, the build-up and how to make the most of fight night.

Fight essentials: date, venue and how to watch

Fury v Joshua takes place on Friday 11 December 2026 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with the main event expected in the early hours of Saturday morning to suit US audiences.

Detail	What we know
Date	Friday 11 December 2026
Venue	Principality Stadium, Cardiff (around 80,000 capacity for boxing, per Fury)
Ringwalks	Expected in the early hours of Saturday 12 December, with around 1am discussed but not confirmed
How to watch	Live on Netflix worldwide, included for members with no separate pay-per-view
Title on the line	The WBA “super” heavyweight title is reported to be at stake, vacated by Oleksandr Usyk
Promotion	The Ring (Turki Alalshikh) with Dana White, with Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn in the respective corners
Undercard	A “star-studded” card is promised but not yet announced

Cardiff Council confirmed the late start, and Netflix says the event streams at no extra cost to members. The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported the WBA belt detail, which would make the winner a three-time world heavyweight champion.

Why Cardiff?

The venue was the final sticking point. A New York date had been close, but Joshua’s camp held firm on a UK fight, and the Principality Stadium’s retractable roof solves the December weather problem while allowing a later finish than Wembley’s curfew. Joshua has filled this stadium before, against Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker in 2017 and 2018.

Undercard rumours

No bouts have been confirmed yet. The biggest whisper so far is that Manny Pacquiao may feature, despite turning 49 a week after fight night. Commentators in the US have argued Netflix needs a strong supporting card to hook viewers who feel both men are past their peak.

Press conference recap and gossip

Wednesday night’s London press conference was the first time the pair had shared a stage since the fight was confirmed, and it delivered exactly the needle fans wanted. Here are the moments everyone is talking about.

The billing row

Fury’s name sits first on the poster, and Joshua could not resist revealing why. He told the room he had received a call asking if he minded Fury going first, because Fury would not sign otherwise. Fury hit back that both camps had spent the negotiations squabbling over A-side and B-side status, and claimed he had finally “checkmated” Joshua. Promoter Frank Warren has defended the billing on rankings and, he joked, alphabetical order.

Landlords and rent

The gossip column moment of the night. Joshua and Eddie Hearn have spent the build-up casting AJ as the “guvnor” and landlord of British boxing. Fury flipped it, insisting he would not be paying any rent and branding his rival an employee rather than the boss. Joshua, for his part, laughed off a jibe about his appearance by cheerfully agreeing he is bald and fat.

The sparring black eye

The pair sparred years ago, when Joshua was still an amateur, and neither will let the story go. Fury hinted that Joshua knows exactly what happened in that ring. Joshua’s version, shared with Netflix, is that Fury “left the room with a black eye”. Expect this one to run all the way to fight week.

Game plans on the table

Fury promised to abandon the slick boxing that made his name and stand and trade, predicting it will be “curtains” once he lands. Joshua welcomed the threat as fuel for extra rounds in training and said he is preparing to be fit for 15 rounds in the old-school way. He also admitted only God can say whether he can keep Fury down, a nod to the fact that Fury has never lost by knockout.

Respect beneath the noise

It was not all hostility. Fury called Joshua a role model and poster boy for British boxing, and said he often finds himself defending his rival to fans in the street. Joshua spoke about families falling out and pub arguments over who would win, framing the night as a moment to inspire the next generation.

The “one per cent” wobble

The press conference itself was in doubt days earlier. Fury claimed over the weekend that the fight had only a one per cent chance of happening, before his manager Spencer Brown insisted the Gypsy King would be there “one million per cent”. Earlier in the saga, Fury had even branded Joshua’s team cowards over money and venue disputes.

Tale of the tape and the road to Cardiff

Fury brings the bigger frame and the better recent record, while Joshua carries the heavier knockout ratio into what both men call the defining fight of their careers.

	Tyson Fury	Anthony Joshua
Nickname	The Gypsy King	AJ
Age on fight night	38	37
Record	36-2-1 (25 KOs)	30-4 (27 KOs)
Height	6ft 9in	6ft 6in
Reach	85in	82in
Titles held	WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO, Ring	WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO
Promoter	Frank Warren	Eddie Hearn
Last fight	TKO7 v Mariusz Wach, July 2026	KO2 v Kristian Prenga, July 2026

Fury’s road

Fury’s two defeats both came against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, after which he retired. He returned after 16 months away to outpoint Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April 2026, then forced Mariusz Wach to retire in the seventh round in Pattaya, Thailand, in July. Both were steady rather than spectacular, and both kept him on course for this date.

Joshua’s road

Joshua’s last two years have been a rollercoaster. A fifth-round stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024 was followed by a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami in December 2025. Weeks later, he survived a car crash in Nigeria in which two close friends died. He returned in July 2026 in Jeddah and was knocked down twice in the first round by Kristian Prenga before rallying to win in the second. That night showed both his vulnerability and his resilience, and it is the performance every pundit is now dissecting.

Ten years in the making

The pair signed a two-fight deal back in 2021, only for an arbitration ruling to force Fury into a trilogy with Deontay Wilder. Usyk then beat both men twice. Fury put it simply at the press conference: is it too late? Absolutely not, he insisted, calling it the icing on the cake of two great careers.

Key storylines, odds and predictions

Fury goes in as the bookmakers’ favourite, but the gap is narrower than his recent form might suggest, and Joshua’s power keeps him firmly in the conversation.

What the odds say

At the time of writing, Fury is roughly a 4/7 to 7/12 favourite with UK bookmakers, with Joshua around 6/4 to 7/4 and the draw out at 14/1 to 18/1, according to Oddschecker. In the US, DraftKings set the over/under at 9.5 rounds, with a Fury knockout priced shorter than a Joshua one. Odds move quickly, so treat these as a snapshot.

Storylines to watch

• Can Joshua’s defence hold up? Being dropped twice by Prenga raised fresh questions. Fury’s promoter Frank Warren noted AJ was in trouble last time out but saved himself with his power.
• Will Fury really stand and trade? His promise of a shootout may be mind games. Fury’s greatest wins came from movement and awkwardness, not brawling.
• Fury’s chin. He has been floored before, famously by Deontay Wilder, but has never been stopped. Joshua will need to land something special.
• Who walks first? With no titles held by either man, even the ringwalk order is still being negotiated. Warren has suggested tossing a coin.
• Record purses. Warren says both men will earn more than any British fighter has ever been paid for a single bout.

The pundits’ verdict

Warren, unsurprisingly, expects Fury to win in spectacular style. Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson has warned Joshua could be in a world of trouble if he does not improve on the Prenga performance. Most observers lean towards Fury on skill and size, with Joshua’s clearest route to victory being an early knockout.

Your fight night guide to Cardiff

The late main event is the single biggest factor in planning your night, so book your travel and accommodation around a finish that could run well past 2am.

Getting there

The Principality Stadium sits right in Cardiff city centre, a short walk from Cardiff Central station. That makes rail the easiest option on the way in. Getting home is harder: with ringwalks expected after midnight, last trains to London and most other cities will have gone long before the final bell.

Where to stay

Cardiff hotels fill fast for stadium events, and a Friday fight that finishes on Saturday morning means almost every travelling fan will need a room. Book as early as possible, or look at Newport, Penarth and Bristol as alternatives with an early train back on Saturday.

Timing your evening

Doors and undercard times have not been announced yet, but expect a long card building through Friday evening. Plan dinner before you arrive or inside the venue, pace yourself, and remember the action you have come for will not start until the early hours.

What to wear

The retractable roof should keep the weather out, but December queues and walks to and from the stadium will be cold. Smart casual is the norm in hospitality areas; check your package details for any dress code.

Why hospitality makes sense for this one

A long, late night is exactly where hospitality earns its value. A guaranteed seat, a warm lounge to retreat to between undercard bouts, food and drink without the concourse queues, and a comfortable base until the main event all turn a marathon evening into a memorable one, whether you are entertaining clients or celebrating with friends.

Fury v Joshua FAQs

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When is Fury v Joshua?

The fight takes place on Friday 11 December 2026. The main event is expected in the early hours of Saturday 12 December, UK time.

Where is Fury v Joshua being held?

The fight will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

What time will Fury and Joshua walk to the ring?

Ringwalks have not been confirmed. Around 1am UK time on Saturday 12 December has been widely discussed, to suit US television audiences.

How can I watch Fury v Joshua?

The fight streams live on Netflix worldwide. It is included for all Netflix members, with no separate pay-per-view fee.

Is a world title on the line?

The WBA “super” heavyweight title is reported to be at stake. Victory would make either man a three-time world heavyweight champion.

Who is the favourite?

Tyson Fury is the bookmakers’ favourite at around 4/7, with Anthony Joshua priced at around 7/4 at the time of writing.

Have Fury and Joshua fought before?

No. This is their first professional meeting, although the pair sparred together when Joshua was an amateur.

Who is on the undercard?

The undercard has not yet been announced. Organisers have promised a star-studded card, with Manny Pacquiao rumoured to feature.

Can I book hospitality for Fury v Joshua?

Yes. You can register your interest with Engage now to be among the first to hear when hospitality packages for Fury v Joshua are released.

Experience Fury v Joshua in style with Engage

This is the all-British heavyweight fight fans have waited more than a decade to see, and Cardiff will only host it once. Whether you are rewarding your team, entertaining key clients or treating friends to a night they will talk about for years, an Engage hospitality package puts you at the heart of the action in comfort.

Register your interest in Fury v Joshua hospitality or explore more fight nights in our Boxing & MMA hospitality collection.