CARDIFF — With so much uncertainty around Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua, even their first head-to-head press conference has been thrown into doubt, just 48 hours after the rivalry more than a decade in the making was finally set for December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with mounting speculation the mega-fight could be called off amid a promotional dispute.
The press conference had been due to take place on Wednesday, but Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports nothing is locked in. "At the moment nothing confirmed for next week press conference wise," Hearn said. Asked whether Fury could hold one without Joshua's team, he added: "There wouldn't be a press conference without us."
The original announcement stated Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh's The Ring and Dana White were staging the bout, although Hearn has publicly claimed the American promoter cannot be involved. Speaking after Johnny Fisher's victory over Michael Pirotton on Saturday night, White said he was uncertain whether the Fury-Joshua fight itself would still go ahead. On Wednesday's press conference, White said: "I have no idea." Asked if he would attend, he added: "I guess I'll leave that as a surprise."
The fight had been presented as the long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown, but the promotional disagreement has quickly clouded the build-up. The bout was announced for Cardiff on Dec. 11 on Netflix earlier this week before the dispute erupted, leaving both the press conference and the fight itself in jeopardy.