Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua face off ahead of long-awaited fight

LONDON: Former heavyweight world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua came face to face on Wednesday as their long-awaited showdown finally appeared to be on course after years of uncertainty.

Fury and Joshua are scheduled to meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11th, with tickets due to go on sale on October 9th.

The pair appeared together at a public news conference, where they exchanged respectful words alongside their usual fighting talk and occasional jibes.

Joshua called for a minute’s silence for two close friends killed in a car crash in Nigeria late last year, bringing the noisy crowd to a complete standstill.

Fury recalled an old sparring session with Joshua, saying he had offered him a Rolex watch if he could knock him down.

“Guess what? I left that building with a Rolex on,” Fury said with a smile.

Joshua then added that Fury had also left the session with a black eye.

Fury praised his rival, describing him as a two-time heavyweight world champion, Olympic gold medallist and a role model for British boxing.

"This man is a two-time heavyweight world champion, Olympic gold medallist and he has been a role model and a poster boy for British boxing for years," he declared of Joshua.

"I mostly find myself defending my arch rival to fans I meet in the street and I say to them if you could achieve 10% of what this man has achieved, you'd be doing well. That aside, we're here to fight and fight we will, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. It's been 10 years in the making."

The final face-off ended with smiles, as Joshua jokingly pretended to tickle Fury.