Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua shared a table at Olympia London for the launch of their long-awaited fight, set for December 11 in Cardiff. The event, more than a decade in the making, saw both fighters adopt a notably amicable tone.
For most of the press conference, it felt more like an evening with the two boxers than a typical pre-fight buildup. Years of insults exchanged from a distance, including from their promoters, gave way to calm. Fury and Joshua were full of respect for each other, with no tension, bad blood, or real back-and-forth.
Respect and laughter replace rivalry
Both appeared delighted to be involved, unsurprising given the imminent boost to their bank balances. The face-off could have taken place without the large security presence that flocked onto the stage. It ended with Joshua tickling Fury as they broke into laughter.
Turki Alalshikh was ever-present and twice launched a bizarre tirade at Dua Lipa, who reportedly turned down the offer of performing at the fight earlier this year. Aside from that, only once did anything resembling a confrontation threaten to break out, and even that was hard to take seriously.
Brief exchange over billing
Host Max Kellerman asked when there would be any animosity between them. Fury briefly played his part on request, pointing to the big screen behind and noting it was Fury vs Joshua, not the reverse.
"In the build-up to this fight, Eddie and AJ were talking about being the landlord and the boss, the governors," Fury said. "I only see one don, Fury v AJ. I'm number one, son. On December 11th, you’re going to see Tyson Fury… you’re The Landlord coming to collect — and I ain’t f*****g paying!"
Joshua responded by claiming he had received a call last week saying Fury would pull out if his name was not first. Fury's response was "B******t."
Friendly words and future plans
Otherwise, it was as friendly as could be. Both spoke of inspiring the next generation and of this being the "icing on the cake" of careers that have changed British boxing. Joshua looked at ease, had the majority of fans in the room behind him, and joked with those who heckled for Fury.
Fury vowed: "I tell you what I'm going to do, I'm going to come out and blast him out. I'm going to throw down. I'm going to catch him and it'll be curtains."
"We love it," was the response from Joshua. "That's the energy that we want. There is nothing else I expect from this man."
Fury offered to share a pint with Joshua after the fight, regardless of the result. "I don't know if I can trust you," Joshua laughed.
The pair will now go their separate ways to continue training camps. An added subplot is the revelation that Joshua has been consulting Fury's uncle Peter for advice on how to approach the fight. Joshua will also have Ben Davison, Fury's former trainer, back in his corner. If Fury has any ill-feeling towards those no longer on his team, there was no sign of it at this press conference.
Once upon a time, this would have been a very different occasion. Had they met in their prime, the fight would have been legacy-defining, and the jeopardy of that would have fostered a far colder atmosphere. Now, both have nowhere else to go, and that has brought them together. It is a marriage of convenience, and the happy couple have hit the jackpot.
