The much-anticipated heavyweight boxing showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s will take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday 11 December.

Joshua and Fury are the biggest names in British boxing and spent a decade circling each other amid aborted attempts to agree a showdown while still in their prime.

They’ve now agreed a deal that will be welcomed by British fans after reports the fight could have been held in New York or Saudi Arabia.

No start time has been announced, but there had been rumours the main event could begin in the early hours to cater for US audiences as it will be streamed live on Netflix.

The announcement was made by Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, who posted on X that “the time for talking is over”.

Negotiations to get the fight over the line have been going on for months, with both camps accusing one another of holding things up.

However, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), which owns the Principality Stadium, has said the event remains subject to a change to its premises licence because of the expected early hours start.

Under its current premises licence, the venue is allowed to host boxing or wrestling entertainment until 1am when the roof is closed.

Joshua posted a picture of the fight poster on Instagram, and in another image wrote: “The quietest ones often pull the strings. Those who appear least involved may hold the greatest control. “Let them shout first, the wisest wait until the final move.”

Fury also shared an image of a Welsh dragon and said a fight in the country would be a “homecoming” as his mother’s family are from there.

Both men will now meet face to face at a press conference in London on 30 September.

The saga goes back years – the pair were unable to agree terms in 2021, and plans fell apart after a US judge ruled Fury had to face Deontay Wilder instead.

Both are past their peak and neither has a world title, but the fight will be one of the biggest in years.

Joshua’s last contest was a second-round win over Albanian Kristian Prenga in July, though the Briton was knocked down in the first 20 seconds.

The bout is a non-title fight as neither of the boxers hold any belt.