Joshua vs Fury Set for December 11 in Cardiff
The highly anticipated bout between former heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is officially scheduled. The fight will take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday, December 11, 2026, with live coverage on Netflix.
This announcement ends months of speculation about the location. There was a strong possibility the match could have been held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, which would have stirred controversy given both fighters are British. Instead, the Welsh stadium secured the event, though the fighters’ ring walks may occur just after midnight local time to accommodate American viewers.
Background on the Fighters and Previous Attempts
Joshua, aged 36, and Fury, 38, are both former two-time world heavyweight champions. Their matchup has been discussed for nearly ten years. They initially agreed to fight in 2021, but the bout was canceled when Deontay Wilder threatened legal action against Fury, leading to Fury’s trilogy fight with Wilder. Fury won that fight by stoppage to keep his WBC title. Meanwhile, Joshua lost his unified titles to Oleksandr Usyk shortly before Fury’s victory.
Joshua lost again to Usyk in their 2022 rematch, and Usyk also defeated Fury twice in 2024. Despite these setbacks, talk of a Joshua-Fury showdown never faded.
Recent Activity Leading Up to the Fight
In April 2026, Fury came out of retirement for the fifth time, winning on points over Arslanbek Makhmudov while Joshua watched ringside. Not long after, their fight agreement was finalized without a set date or venue.
Joshua stayed active, knocking out Jake Paul in December 2025, just days before surviving a car crash that tragically killed two of his teammates. He then fought Kristian Prenga in July 2026, overcoming two early knockdowns to win by second-round knockout.
At the same time, Fury defeated 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand over seven rounds in a less publicized fight with no broadcast.
Negotiations and Final Location Decision
Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh floated a November date at London’s Wembley Stadium, suggesting ring walks might need to happen at 2 a.m. GMT to maximize worldwide viewership. Both fighters’ contracts allowed for flexibility, with Fury leaning toward a U.S. venue and Joshua favoring the UK. Ultimately, Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn opposed the U.S. location, so the fight will take place in Wales.
“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together,” said Alalshikh. “This will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history. I am very happy to make this fight happen for the fans.”
