The much-anticipated 'Battle of Britain' between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua faced significant uncertainty just days before its official launch press conference. Fury disclosed on Wednesday that the fight "wasn't happening" until three days prior to the event.
Confirmation of the heavyweight bout, scheduled for December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and to be streamed on Netflix, came last week. However, the clash reportedly fell into major doubt over the weekend due to unspecified "issues," which were thought to involve UFC chief Dana White, though this was disputed by Eddie Hearn.
A resolution was eventually found, allowing the press conference to proceed in London. Fury stated he received a call to address the situation publicly, leading him to brand Joshua a "yellow-bellied coward" on social media after learning the fight was nearing cancellation. He claimed Joshua and Hearn had presented "a million excuses" to delay signing the fight, despite Fury being agreeable to demands like holding the fight in the UK.
While Joshua expressed 100 percent confidence the bout will go ahead, Fury admitted it is "out of my control." He added, "I've done everything within my power to make this fight happen, and fingers crossed, we both get in the ring and fight on the night."