Nocturnal 
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally sat down together in London this week – and after more than ten years of build-up, the mood was far friendlier than anyone expected. The pair swapped jokes, traded a few light taunts and even discussed going for a pint, according to the BBC.
It’s the fight British boxing fans have been demanding for years. Fury, 38, and Joshua, 36, will finally meet in the ring at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday 11 December, as confirmed by Sky Sports.
The launch event had been in doubt just days earlier. The BBC reported that as recently as Monday there was still uncertainty over whether the fight would go ahead at all, amid contractual disagreements surrounding the promotion.
From feud to face-off
Given their history of public sniping, many expected sparks to fly at the press conference. Instead, Fury was full of praise for his rival, telling reporters: “He’s been a role model and poster boy for British boxing for years. I mostly find myself defending my arch rival to fans in the street,” according to the BBC.
Joshua, meanwhile, reflected on the scale of the occasion rather than going on the attack. “It’s breathtaking and I’m not saying that lightly,” he said, adding that he was grateful to bring the fight to Britain because “people in pubs have had proper fights about who will win and family members have fallen out.”
There was still some needle, though. Sky Sports reported that Fury took aim at Joshua’s promotional team over the lengthy negotiations, joking about “landlords” and “the rent man” before declaring: “I’ve checkmated you!” Joshua hit back by revealing he’d been asked whether he minded Fury’s name going first on the poster.
Fury also promised fireworks in the ring itself, telling reporters he plans to come out “ultra-aggressive” and predicting a swift finish: “I’m going to catch him and when I do, it’s going to be curtains,” he said, according to Sky Sports. Joshua said he’d use that trash talk as motivation, adding that he knows Fury wants to “render him unconscious.”
Fireworks, crowns and a crowd chant
The entrances added to the theatre. Master of ceremonies Michael Buffer introduced the pair as fireworks shot up from the stage, with Joshua walking out relaxed in a grey tracksuit and sunglasses while Fury opted for a vivid emerald-green suit covered in crown motifs, the BBC reported.
A few hundred fans packed a balcony above the press conference, chanting “Oh Anthony Joshua” throughout – a sign of the backing Joshua can expect in Cardiff, even with the main event potentially starting as early as 2am GMT to suit American television audiences, per the BBC.
The Guardian reported that Joshua revealed he has been in touch with Fury’s uncle, Peter, ahead of the bout – one of several unexpected twists at an event otherwise dominated by good humour. Talk also turned to the pair’s famous 2010 sparring session, when Joshua was still an amateur, with Fury claiming he got the better of it and Joshua insisting he couldn’t remember.
What happens now
With the date and venue finally locked in, promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn can turn their attention to selling out Cardiff. Tickets for the fight go on general sale from 8 October, according to Yahoo Sports, with the event set to be broadcast worldwide on Netflix.
For two men who have circled each other for a decade, Fury summed up the mood best: “It’s the icing on the cake of two great careers.”
