Tyson Fury's highly anticipated fight with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff may be moved to an earlier slot from its suggested 2am start time, as the heavyweight rivals gear up to meet publicly for the first time since their blockbuster clash was confirmed.
Fury's manager, Spencer Brown, has disclosed that discussions are ongoing regarding the timing of the December 11 showdown at Principality Stadium, with Fury's team firmly opposed to the fight commencing in the small hours of the morning. The proposed delayed start has been floated to cater for a worldwide television viewership, but Brown maintains it would be excessively late for fans in Wales and throughout the UK.
Fury's team opposes late start
Principality Stadium has not yet submitted an application to extend its existing licence beyond the standard curfew requiring all events to conclude by 1am.
"I think 2am is far too late," Brown told Playbook Boxing. "I think that the general public in England will want to watch it in the pubs, the clubs, you know, around each other's houses.
"There'll be a party atmosphere. And I just think it needs to be earlier. Simple as that.
"It's all in negotiation at the moment but we think it shouldn't be at 2am. 99% of people would tell you that.
"People don't want to be in a stadium at 2am freezing. Look we're still negotiating it, it's ongoing.
"You will find out about that later on, but the whole of Cardiff seems to be sold out already, it will be rocking."
First press conference ahead
Fury and Joshua will finally come together in London on Wednesday for the inaugural public press conference ahead of their all-British heavyweight showdown. Both boxers have now reached the capital, with Fury returning from the United States following a family holiday to Walt Disney World, while Joshua has travelled from his training base in Dubai.
The conference follows a turbulent few days of doubt, which momentarily risked scuppering the fight, just 24 hours after it was formally confirmed.
The December 11 clash had been cast into uncertainty amid a row over the suggested participation of UFC boss Dana White in the promotion. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, said that terms in AJ's contract prohibited White from holding a promotional position, while White openly attacked Hearn and later admitted that he was unsure whether the fight or Wednesday's press conference would take place. White is not anticipated to attend the launch.
Fight progressing as planned
An additional complication surfaced regarding Fury's participation in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) testing programme, though Brown has since verified the former world champion is now registered with VADA.
Recent developments suggest the fight is progressing as planned, with Fury and Joshua now set to share a platform for the first time since the announcement. It represents a pivotal moment for a contest that has required more than a decade to arrange. The bout was officially confirmed last week by Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, with the clash anticipated to attract enormous worldwide attention and a reported purse approaching £151million.
However, rather than the immediate focus on the long-awaited sporting showdown, recent days have been consumed by promotional wrangling, contractual disagreements and uncertainty over whether Fury-Joshua would actually take place. Wednesday's press conference, therefore, presents both boxers and organisers an opportunity to change the conversation. And there could be another major announcement on the horizon, with Fury's team lobbying for the Cardiff clash to start substantially earlier than the proposed 2am UK start time.
