Fury vs Joshua History: Why the Fight Took 10 Years
Fury vs Joshua has been talked about for more than a decade. The two biggest British heavyweights of their era came close several times, but arbitration rulings, defeats, retirements and failed negotiations kept them apart. Here is the full story of how the fight finally landed on December 11, 2026, in Cardiff.
Timeline of the Rivalry
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| Early 2010s | Fury and a young amateur Joshua spar. Both men still dispute who came out on top. |
| 2015 | Fury beats Wladimir Klitschko to become unified heavyweight champion, then steps away from boxing. |
| 2017 | Joshua stops Klitschko at Wembley and becomes the face of British boxing. |
| 2020 | Both men are world champions. A two-fight deal for an undisputed title clash is agreed in principle. |
| 2021 | A Saudi Arabia date is lined up, but an arbitration ruling forces Fury into a third fight with Deontay Wilder. The deal collapses. |
| 2021 to 2022 | Joshua loses twice to Oleksandr Usyk. Fury offers Joshua a fight in late 2022, but talks break down again. |
| 2024 | Fury loses twice to Usyk. Joshua is knocked out by Daniel Dubois at Wembley. |
| 2025 | Fury retires in January. Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in December. |
| April 2026 | Fury returns, beats Arslanbek Makhmudov and calls Joshua out from the ring. The fight is reported as a done deal for late 2026. |
| July 2026 | Fury stops Mariusz Wach. Joshua survives two knockdowns to stop Kristian Prenga. |
| September 2026 | The fight is confirmed for December 11 at the Principality Stadium, live on Netflix. The launch press conference takes place in London on September 30. |
| October 2026 | All tickets sell out within about an hour on October 9. |
Why the 2021 Deal Collapsed
This was the closest the fight came at the peak of both careers. Fury held the WBC title and Joshua held the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, so the winner would have been the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. Wilder won an arbitration case that entitled him to a third fight with Fury, and the Joshua deal fell apart. Joshua instead faced Usyk and lost his titles.
Why the Fight Is in Cardiff
Turki Alalshikh wanted to stage the fight at Wembley, but the venue could not stay open late enough for a main event timed for US television. Dana White pushed for Madison Square Garden in New York, while Joshua and Eddie Hearn wanted the fight in the UK. The Principality Stadium, with its roof and late-night flexibility, became the answer. Joshua has already fought there in front of huge crowds.
The Sparring Session Story
The rivalry goes back to a sparring session more than ten years ago, when Joshua was still an amateur. At the launch press conference, Fury joked that he left the gym wearing the Rolex he had offered as a prize for knocking him down. Joshua replied that Fury also left with a black eye. The two finally get to settle it for real on December 11.
Find out what time the fight starts, read our fight prediction, or go back to the main fight guide.
Fury vs Joshua History FAQ
Why did Fury vs Joshua take so long?
A 2021 deal collapsed when Deontay Wilder won an arbitration case for a third fight with Fury. After that, defeats to Usyk, retirements and failed negotiations kept the two apart until 2026.
Have Fury and Joshua fought before?
Not as professionals. They sparred years ago when Joshua was an amateur.
Is the fight for a world title?
No world title has been officially confirmed for the fight. Neither man currently holds a major world title.
Why is the fight not at Wembley?
Wembley could not stay open late enough for a main event timed for US prime time, so the fight moved to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
The Fury vs Joshua history is a story of near misses. After more than a decade, the two finally meet in Cardiff on December 11.