British heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are set to face off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on December 11, but the long-awaited showdown has been thrown into fresh doubt. Fury, speaking publicly for the first time since the bout was confirmed, predicted a one-sided victory over Joshua and described the former two-time world champion as a "stepping stone" towards a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk. Fury vowed to knock out Joshua within seven rounds.
Fury's comments were made on the Furocity YouTube channel, where he confidently stated that he would "box the head off him and stop him inside six or seven rounds." He also questioned Joshua's speed and stamina, claiming the former champion would struggle to cope with his style. Fury described Joshua as "an old bum. A weightlifter. Too many weights, not enough speed. Too many weights, no cardio."
The proposed all-British showdown now faces uncertainty after a dispute over the venue and fresh claims surrounding Anthony Joshua's participation. Joshua and Fury signed separate contracts earlier this year, with Joshua's agreement reportedly requiring the fight to take place in the United Kingdom this winter. A dispute emerged over where the fight would be staged after both men won their respective warm-up fights in July.
The negotiations have involved Eddie Hearn, who has represented Joshua since he turned professional in 2013, and Frank Warren, Fury's promoter since his comeback in 2018. UFC chief executive Dana White has also become involved, with Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh instructing TKO to secure a deal with Netflix to broadcast the fight.
A proposal to stage the fight at Madison Square Garden on November 20 was met with resistance from Hearn and Joshua, who reportedly refused to accept the change due to Joshua's contractual requirement that the bout be held in the UK. Cardiff's Principality Stadium was subsequently announced as the venue, but the announcement failed to end the dispute.
On Friday night, Fury took to social media to accuse Joshua of threatening to withdraw from the fight. Alternative match-ups were subsequently discussed on social media, including a potential Fury bout with cruiserweight world champion David Benavidez. Joshua had planned to travel to London but remained in Dubai, while Fury continued his preparations in Miami.
The uncertainty has cast fresh doubt over whether the highly anticipated British heavyweight clash will proceed as planned. Despite Fury's confident predictions, the dispute over the venue and Joshua's participation has raised concerns about the fight's future. The two boxers have been preparing for the bout, but it remains to be seen whether they will face off as scheduled on December 11.
Key points
- Tyson Fury predicts a one-sided victory over Anthony Joshua, vowing to knock him out within seven rounds.
- A dispute over the venue and Anthony Joshua's participation has thrown the fight into doubt.
- The fight's future remains uncertain, with alternative match-ups being discussed on social media.
