The stakes have now been raised ahead of the blockbuster Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua showdown.

It was finally officially confirmed today that the two men will meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday 11 December, with the event broadcast live on Netflix.

It sees the British stars collide having first been linked to a battle with one another over a decade ago, when they both held versions of the world heavyweight title.

It’s been several years since both men were world champions, with Fury losing his WBC heavyweight title to Oleksandr Usyk back in May 2024while Joshua also lost his unified WBA, IBF and WBO belts against the Ukrainian back in September 2021.

Usyk went on to become undisputed heavyweight champion but no longer holds any of the belts after vacating his remaining titles earlier this year, and it seems that Fury and Joshua are going to benefit from that decision.

That is because it has been reported by The Ring’s Mike Coppinger that the vacant WBA ‘Super’ title is set to be on the line in the Fury vs. Joshua fight.

“Breaking: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will fight for the WBA ‘super’ heavyweight title, @ringmagazine has learned. Fury and AJ will both be looking to regain a heavyweight title. Usyk remains The Ring champ while Murat Gassiev is the current holder of the WBA’s ‘regular’ heavyweight title.”

Murat Gassiev became WBA Regular champion with a knockout win over Kubrat Pulev in December, before making a defence of that title against Peter Kadiru in July.

It was initially believed that the WBA had elevated him to full champion after Usyk vacated the belt, but it appears Gassiev will now have to play second fiddle to the Fury vs. Joshua victor.

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.

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.