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Leverage forces Ennis Ortiz to reach April deal

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Image: Leverage Finally Forces Ennis vs Ortiz Toward a Deal

The update was the clearest sign yet that months of public negotiations, legal tensions and posturing had finally given way to an agreement.

The date is not accidental. For much of the past three months, the fight has been waged in theory while alternatives have been publicly presented. Ortiz’s team insisted on A-team status. Other options were referred to. The rhetoric was clamorous. There was minimal traffic.

What has changed is not sentiment. It was leverage.

Why the conversations suddenly changed

Multiple industry reports, later expanded by BoxingScene writer Jake Donovan, made it clear that DAZN had no interest in financing any fight by either fighter that did not include the other. As this position hardened, the negotiating space quickly narrowed. There was no longer a credible financial exit ramp.

This reality coincided with instability elsewhere. Golden Boy Promotions was nearing the end of its existing contract with DAZN. Ortiz was involved in a lawsuit seeking to invalidate his endorsement contract, alleging breach and interference. This combination left little room for risky maneuvers. Whatever leverage existed on paper was no longer supported by a willing platform.

From that moment on, fighting ceased to be a debate and became a necessity.

Ennis made his intentions known last fall, traveling to Fort Worth to watch Ortiz win over Erickson Lubin, and immediately afterwards publicly calling for a fight. The enthusiasm was real, but enthusiasm alone did not move the negotiations. Progress only came when financial alternatives disappeared.

This order is critical. This redefines the fight not as a triumph of ambition or fan demands, but as an example of how newfangled boxing power actually works. In 2026, A-side status will no longer be something a promoter can declare. It only exists if the broadcaster is willing to finance it.

Donovan’s reports filled in the connective tissue around this reality. His account detailed the halt in talks, the tough agreements adopted at the beginning and the peaceful change when it became clear there was no appetite for substitutes. The climbs were consistent. Once the platform’s position was understood, resistance weakened.

If the fight ends this week, it will be accepted for sporting reasons. Ennis vs Ortiz is a fight the division has been talking about for years. But it will also be a reminder that the fight occurred not because all sides suddenly agreed, but because the economic environment eliminated every other option.

Ultimately, the ego did not put up this fight. Reality did.

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Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix

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"Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix"

Principality Stadium secures the British heavyweight fight, with a London press conference next week and the undercard to follow.

Anthony Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) and Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) will fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11. Netflix will broadcast the full event exclusively after organizers secured a British venue for the heavyweights’ first professional meeting.

Turki Alalshikh announced the fight, and Joshua and Fury are scheduled to attend a London press conference next week. The supporting card will be announced later; no undercard opponents were named in the supplied announcement.

The December date replaces the November plan discussed earlier in negotiations. Wembley had been Joshua’s preferred destination, but Cardiff secured the event following talks over whether the fight would remain in Britain or move to the United States.

Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn insisted on a UK venue. His contract included that requirement, and their position held despite discussions involving New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Dana White said: “For more than a decade, boxing fans have been clamoring for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring. On December 11, two of the biggest heavyweights of this generation finally collide and the winner will take a significant place in heavyweight history.”

Netflix to broadcast the full Cardiff card

Netflix’s preference for an evening American broadcast drove the push to stage the fight across the Atlantic. Madison Square Garden emerged as the leading US option before negotiations returned to Britain.

Cardiff keeps the contest on British soil, with a late opening bell expected to accommodate viewers in the United States.

The main event is expected around 1 a.m. UK timealthough the exact time has not been confirmed. If that schedule holds. A 1 a.m. GMT start would put the main event at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, December 11 for viewers on America’s east coast.

The fight is expected to take place beneath Principality Stadium’s retractable roof.

London press conference scheduled for next week

Alalshikh welcomed the agreement after months of negotiations over the event.

“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together. This will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history, I am very happy to make this fight happen for the fans,” he said.

Joshua and Fury previously signed a two-fight agreement in 2021. That booking collapsed after an arbitration ruling required Fury to face Deontay Wilder again.

Their December meeting now has a confirmed date, venue and broadcaster. Next week’s press conference will bring both fighters to London, with the remaining card and precise event timetable still to follow.

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Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

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Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff

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"Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff"

Manny Pacquiao against Shakur Stevenson remains under discussion for the proposed Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury card in Cardiff. It would give the event a second major fight, but neither Pacquiao nor Stevenson has received a bout agreement.

BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire reports that two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the matchup as part of a “double main event.” December 11 is the date under consideration at Principality Stadium, with December 18 also possible. Pacquiao adviser Jas Mathur told BoxingScene that Pacquiao’s financial terms are still being negotiated.

That leaves a great deal to settle before anyone can call this a fight. The Cardiff show itself has yet to be formally announced, and moving Joshua-Fury from the previously discussed Madison Square Garden setting means assembling the rest of the card around a different venue and date.

Pacquiao-Stevenson would bring two very different attractions to that card. Stevenson, 29, is coming off his January win over Teofimo Lopez and has since signed with Zuffa Boxing. Pacquiao, 47, drew with Mario Barrios in his July 2025 return. His name would draw attention far beyond the usual boxing audience, though the long layoff and age difference would become part of the conversation as soon as the fight was announced.

The proposed pairing also raises a practical question: what weight would they fight at? Pacquiao’s return came at welterweight, while Stevenson’s recent work has been at lighter weights. No weight, number of rounds, or title terms have been announced.

For now, the news is that Pacquiao-Stevenson has survived the reported switch to Cardiff and remains in Netflix’s plans, according to BoxingScene. The decisive development would be agreements reaching both fighters. Until then, it belongs on the list of fights being negotiated, rather than the Joshua-Fury undercard.

Pacquiao turns 48 on December 17. If the fight lands on December 18, Shakur would face him one day after his birthday. Pacquiao won his first world title in 1998, before Shakur turned two.

That age difference makes the matchup a hard sell as a competitive fight. If Shakur wins easily, how much credit does he get for beating a man nearly two decades older? If he boxes his way to a quiet decision, Pacquiao’s name may bring viewers to Netflix, but the fight may give them little reason to watch Shakur again.

Pacquiao’s fame can make this a major event. Turning it into a fight that helps Shakur is another matter. First, both men need to agree to terms; neither has received a bout agreement.

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BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.

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Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard – Boxing News

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"Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard - Boxing News"

Teofimo Lopez has been offered a slot on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card, which is set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11.

‘The Takeover’ comes off a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero, who he dethroned last month after surviving a genuine scare in round five.

In reality, though, it was a far more convincing win than the scorecards suggested and, despite suffering a one-sided defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January, Lopez proved that he remains a highly-skilled operator at world level.

But while he has expressed an interest in unification matches at 147lbs, particularly one against WBC champion Ryan Garcia, the 29-year-old must first make a mandatory defence and retain his WBA title.

He has, in other words, been ordered to face Jack Catterallwho claimed his WBA ‘Regular’ title by producing arguably a career-best performance to unanimously outpoint Shakhram Giyasov in May.

Lopez, meanwhile, had attempted to swerve his mandatory duty and, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafaelis considering vacating his welterweight belt in pursuit of more lucrative opportunities.

If he is to proceed with the Catterall fight, however, then the three-division world champion could end up featuring on the expected Fury-Joshua card later this year.

Equally, Catterall has taken to social media and acknowledged that, as the champion, Lopez can choose to defend his title on home soil.

“Hey mate [Lopez]you fancy scrapping on the [Fury-Joshua] card? If not don’t worry, I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ.”

According to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, both parties have until October 22 to reach an agreement or risk a purse bid hearing being called.

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