Is the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua Boxing Fight Still On?

Tyson Fury said his December 11 heavyweight title fight against Anthony Joshua is in jeopardy, telling followers on social media that Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, are trying to withdraw from the bout, according to a Reuters report published by Al Jazeera on September 26, 2026. As of that report, neither Joshua nor Hearn had publicly confirmed or denied Fury's account.

What did Tyson Fury say about the fight?

In a video posted late Friday, Fury said, "Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn are trying to pull out of this fight. They're saying they're not going to fight now," according to Reuters. The remark came only days after the bout was formally unveiled, and it was Fury's characterization alone; the source material does not include a response from Joshua or Hearn addressing the claim directly.

How was the fight announced, and by whom?

The bout was announced by promoter Turki Alalshikh and streaming platform Netflix on Thursday, setting up an all-British clash between two former world heavyweight champions for the WBA "Super" heavyweight championship, Reuters reported. The matchup had previously been linked to potential venues in New York and London before organizers settled on Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

Where and when is the fight scheduled to take place?

The fight is set for December 11 at the 80,000-capacity Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, according to the report. The venue has hosted UEFA Champions League and FA Cup finals as well as Wales national team matches in football and rugby. The broadcast is set to air on Netflix. Reuters described the matchup as one of the biggest in British boxing history, reflecting the stakes both fighters and promoters have attached to it since the announcement.

Have Joshua or Hearn responded to Fury's claim?

The available reporting does not include a statement from Joshua or Hearn confirming, denying, or explaining Fury's allegation that they are attempting to withdraw. That gap leaves the dispute, as described publicly, one-sided for now: Fury's account is the only version in the record reviewed for this report. Any promoter-side statement, if and when it surfaces, would need to be weighed against Fury's claim before the status of the fight can be considered resolved.

What do the fighters' recent results show?

Fury, 37, is coming off a win over 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand in July, his most recent bout before the Joshua fight was set. Joshua, 36, survived two first-round knockdowns to beat Kristian Prenga in his last outing two months earlier, per Reuters. Both fighters were reportedly beginning preparations for the December date once Cardiff was locked in as the site.

What happens next?

No party quoted in the available reporting has said the fight is formally canceled. Fury's video statement raises the possibility that the promoter dispute could delay or unravel the card, but the underlying disagreement between Alalshikh's promotional operation and Hearn's side has not been detailed in the source material beyond Fury's characterization. Confirmation of the fight's status would likely come from Netflix, Alalshikh, Hearn, or the WBA, none of which had issued a statement addressing Fury's claim as of the September 26 report.

The episode underscores how quickly a high-profile boxing promotion can become contested even after a public announcement with a broadcaster and a stadium already locked in. Until Joshua's camp or Hearn responds on the record, the fight's status rests on Fury's account alone.

How did Fury and Joshua arrive at a December fight?

Al Jazeera's coverage of Fury's recent run shows a fighter who came out of retirement and built toward the Joshua matchup one bout at a time. Related Al Jazeera reporting cited in its September 26 story includes accounts of Fury's comeback, a win over Agit Kabayel-era opponent Makhmudov after which Fury "called out" Joshua, and the July win over Wach billed as preparation "ahead of Joshua showdown." That trajectory culminated in Thursday's formal announcement by Alalshikh and Netflix, only for Fury to say two days later that the fight was in doubt.

Has Fury floated an alternative opponent?

Among the related headlines Al Jazeera listed alongside its September 26 report is one in which Fury "claims Joshua fight is off" and "calls for another Usyk rematch," indicating Fury has previously raised the possibility of facing Oleksandr Usyk again if the Joshua bout does not proceed. The source material reviewed for this report does not include further detail on that alternative beyond the headline reference, and it is unclear whether Fury repeated the suggestion in his Friday video.