Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will finally meet in the ring on Friday December 11, in a long-awaited heavyweight bout that has been confirmed for Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
The fight, years in the making, will be streamed live globally on Netflix. The choice of Cardiff is a blow to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who had called for the capital to host the event.
Why Cardiff was chosen
Because of Anthony Joshua's contract with the Saudi organisers, the fight had to take place in the UK and would have to be renegotiated if it was moved elsewhere. Following several months of talks, Cardiff was selected.
The Principality Stadium has a capacity of 80,000 and, crucially for this bout, it has a roof. With the fight taking place late at night during the winter, the roof was deemed essential for both fans and fighters alike.
Cardiff also won the race partly due to the Welsh government extending the venue's curfew time. Logistics and curfew extension did not work for London venues.
Potential obstacles
However, the fight could be blocked if Cardiff Council fails to agree its expected 2am start time. Council leader Chris Weaver said required changes to the premises licence to allow the early-hours fight to go ahead had yet to be secured.
He said: “There are still some arrangements to be finalised with the organisers, including any required changes to Principality Stadium’s premises licence, but we are looking forward to welcoming fans to the city for what promises to be an unforgettable night of boxing.”
Under its current premises licence, the stadium is permitted to host boxing or wrestling entertainment until 1am when the roof is closed.
Sadiq Khan's call for London
Before the decision was made, London Mayor Sadiq Khan had called for the fight to take place in London. Earlier this month, Lord Khan told Sky Sports: "We've hosted some of the biggest boxing events in history in London during my mayoralty. Many British fans are fans of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Many Londoners love both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
"Both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua recognise the importance of British boxing fans. The promoters know we're here to help. We've approached those in the know to say we're here to help.
"We've been loyal to Tyson and Anthony. We love them both and we'd love to see them box here in London."
Wembley Stadium's usual curfew is 11pm, although the mayor had previously indicated he would support efforts to bring the fight to London. Brent Council, the local authority involved in any approval, had said that a potential extension of the curfew would need to be assessed by Wembley's safety advisory group.
The Standard have approached the mayor's office for further comment.
