The long-awaited heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is expected at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday, 11 December. With final details still being hammered out between Netflix, Saudi Arabian organisers Sela and both fighters' camps, Cardiff has firmly emerged as the frontrunner.

Only weeks ago, the bout appeared destined for New York, with a date at Madison Square Garden close to completion. Instead, after Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn refused to budge on their contractual right to stage the fight on British soil, the Welsh capital took centre stage. Joshua and Matchroom stood firm on Britain, while Wembley Stadium was long assumed to be the natural home.

With negotiations dragging into December, an open-air UK stadium carried immense weather risks, while London's O2 would sacrifice tens of thousands of ticket sales. The Principality Stadium's retractable roof offers stadium scale while protecting fans from the elements. Joshua has already sold out the venue against Carlos Takam and Joseph Parker. A US-friendly start time also remains easier to accommodate than Wembley's strict 23:00 curfew.