British heavyweight boxing rivals Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are set to face each other at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 11 December. Their first joint press conference in London saw the two fighters exchange pleasantries, jokes, and even discuss a post-fight pint, despite a decade of public feuding and prior false starts.
A Shift in Tone for British Heavyweights
The highly anticipated launch event, which followed days of uncertainty regarding contractual agreements, was notably devoid of the expected fireworks. Instead, the mood was described by the BBC as akin to two veterans reflecting on their careers. Fury, 38, referred to Joshua, 36, as a ‘role model and poster boy for British boxing’ and admitted to often defending his rival to fans.
Joshua expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to bring such a significant event to Great Britain, noting its magnitude. The atmosphere was perhaps best encapsulated when Joshua playfully pretended to tickle Fury’s stomach during their face-off, a surreal moment given their long-standing rivalry predominantly existing through interviews and social media.
The Road to Cardiff: Fight Details and Negotiation Taunts
The fight is reportedly for the vacant WBA ‘super’ heavyweight title, though current WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev’s team has lodged an objection to this arrangement. Despite the initial cordiality, the press conference eventually saw some sharper exchanges, particularly concerning the protracted negotiations that have delayed this fight for years.
According to Sky Sports, Fury made jibes about Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn, referring to them as ‘landlords’ and ‘rent men’ and stating, ‘I ain’t f****** paying because I’m No 1.’ Joshua quickly countered, revealing he had received a call asking if Fury’s name could appear first in the promotion, implying Fury was ‘unwilling to sign unless he does.’ Fury responded by accusing Joshua of ‘crying like little girls’ over billing and trying ‘everything to get out of this fight,’ claiming he had ‘checkmated’ Joshua.
Joshua’s Surprising Training Alliance for Tyson Fury Fight
In a significant pre-fight development reported by The Guardian, Anthony Joshua revealed he has been in contact with Tyson Fury’s uncle, Peter Fury, who famously trained Tyson when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. Peter Fury has offered to help Joshua, a twist that appeared to take Tyson Fury by surprise. Joshua stated Peter would offer insights into training and fight approach rather than directly about Tyson.
Furthermore, Ben Davison will train Joshua for the fight. Davison also previously worked with Tyson Fury, helping him return to boxing in 2018. Fury reacted to this news with feigned deflation, joking that he left Davison ‘because he wasn’t good enough’ and that Joshua had done the same after his defeat to Daniel Dubois, before re-engaging him. Joshua defended the choice, explaining Davison and his team are ‘very good at pinpointing certain things leading up to a fight that I can execute and exploit.’
This news follows other reports of Fury’s career, including an earlier confirmed bout. Bristol Press previously reported on Tyson Fury vs. Mariusz Wach Fight Confirmed for Thailand.
Predictions and Post-Fight Prospects
Despite the pleasantries and training revelations, both fighters made strong predictions for the encounter. Fury declared, ‘I’m going to blast him out. I’m going to catch him and when I do it’s going to be curtains.’ Joshua, however, welcomed this, saying it would ‘keep me running’ and motivated. Fury also light-heartedly contrasted their physiques, describing Joshua as ‘carved in stone’ and ‘built like an Adonis’ while calling himself ‘built like a blancmange.’
Towards the end, Fury extended an invitation for a post-fight pint of Guinness. Joshua’s humorous reply – ‘I don’t know if I can trust you’ – summed up the mix of respect and rivalry that characterised the event, as both men prepare to settle their long-awaited showdown in the ring.
