Tyson Fury has openly stated that, in his view, there is merely a "one per cent" probability that his highly anticipated bout with Anthony Joshua will actually happen. After months of drawn‑out negotiations, a provisional agreement was finally announced on a Thursday, indicating that the all‑British heavyweight showdown would be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Friday, 11 December. This development was hailed as the culmination of a long‑running effort to organise what could become the biggest fight in the history of British boxing.
However, the optimism was short‑lived. On Saturday, Fury cast fresh doubt on the deal, alleging that Joshua’s camp was looking for a way out and that the odds of the fight proceeding were vanishingly slim.
In a candid interview on his YouTube channel, Furocity, Fury was asked to put a percentage on the likelihood of the fight happening. His answer was blunt: "One per cent." He elaborated, "If you have a guy who wants to fight and a guy who doesn’t want to fight, how are you going to make that fight happen?" Fury reflected on his own career, noting that he has competed in nearly 40 professional bouts and has been at the top of the heavyweight division for more than a decade.
"I’ve fought every champion, I’ve fought for every title that exists in boxing, but every time it comes to fighting Joshua… it never happens," he said, adding a rhetorical question: "Has anyone ever asked themselves why?" The official announcement about the Fury‑Joshua clash identified Saudi businessman Turki Al‑Alshikh’s promotion company, The Ring, and UFC president Dana White as the entities behind the staging of the event. This claim was immediately contested by Eddie Hearn, the promoter who handles Joshua’s affairs.
Hearn publicly declared that an American promoter could not be involved in the fight’s organization. In response, Dana White, speaking after Johnny Fisher’s victory at the Copper Box, asserted his involvement: "I’m involved in the fight. If Eddie Hearn really cared about this fight, it would have happened a long time ago.
Number one, he could finance the thing himself. I’ve said this a million times… sell tickets, cut a TV deal and sell the fight." White’s confidence, however, seemed to waver as the conversation progressed. He admitted uncertainty about whether the bout would ever get off the ground: "I don’t know.
The guy who’s supposed to be helping the fight has been hurting the fight the entire time. He hasn’t done the fight any favours, let’s put it that way. We’ll all know more in the next three or four days." Fury also revealed that his original plan had been to stage the contest in Ireland, specifically at Croke Park. He noted that the historic stadium, which has been standing for 142 years, has hosted only two boxing matches to date.
"In the beginning, I signed the contract to do the fight in Ireland, in Croke Park, because that’s where I wanted to do the fight," he explained. "If I’d have stuck to my contract, this fight wouldn’t have happened, would it?" He went on to stress his willingness to do whatever it takes to see the fight materialise, even using hyperbole: "There’s nothing that I haven’t agreed to, nothing. I’ll even tie concrete blocks to my boots to make this fight happen.
There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to make this fight happen." Despite the scepticism that dominated his earlier remarks, Fury concluded the interview on a more hopeful note, acknowledging that the signed contracts and the money already paid might force the fight to proceed. "I do think it’ll happen. Because from what I’m hearing, they’ve been paid already.
So the fight’s got to happen," he said. "Not unless Joshua wants to give the dough back, which I can’t see them wanting to do that." The broader context of this saga underscores the complex web of interests that surround a mega‑event of this magnitude. On one side, there are the fighters themselves, each with personal pride, career trajectories, and financial incentives.
On the other side sit promoters, broadcasters, and sponsors, all of whom stand to gain—or lose—significant sums depending on whether the bout goes ahead. The involvement of high‑profile figures like Dana White adds another layer of intrigue, as his reputation for making bold statements can both energise fans and create additional pressure on the negotiation table. Financial considerations are especially pivotal.
The fight is projected to generate hundreds of millions in revenue through ticket sales, pay‑per‑view purchases, and international broadcasting rights. For promoters like Eddie Hearn, securing a share of that pie is essential to maintaining their standing in the sport.
Conversely, for a heavyweight champion like Joshua, the risk of a last‑minute cancellation could damage his marketability and bargaining power for future fights. Logistical challenges also play a role. Moving a fight of this scale from an Irish venue to a Welsh stadium involves renegotiating contracts, securing new permits, and coordinating with local authorities to ensure safety and compliance with regulations. The fact that Croke Park has only hosted two boxing matches historically adds to the uncertainty, as the venue may lack the infrastructure and experience required for a heavyweight title bout.
Moreover, the political dimension cannot be ignored. Saudi investment in boxing, represented by Turki Al‑Alshikh’s The Ring, reflects a broader strategy of using high‑profile sports events to enhance international prestige. This involvement can be both a catalyst and a complication, as geopolitical considerations sometimes intersect with the business of sport. In summary, while Tyson Fury’s blunt assessment of a one‑per‑cent chance captures the frustration and uncertainty that have plagued the negotiations, the reality is that a multitude of contractual, financial, and logistical factors are now pushing the fight toward inevitability.
The money already paid, the legal obligations of the signed agreements, and the mounting pressure from fans worldwide create a momentum that may ultimately override any lingering doubts. Whether the bout finally takes place on 11 December in Cardiff will depend on whether the remaining obstacles can be cleared in the coming days, but the odds appear to be shifting from near‑impossibility toward a realistic, albeit still precarious, prospect.