Aiming for an early finish, Anthony Joshua intends to secure a “spectacular” stoppage when he meets his rival in the ring. The former champion openly expressed his intention to halt the bout almost immediately upon the opening bell. When asked by Sky Sports News about his expectations for the December 11 showdown, he stated, “A knockout, if I’m honest with you. Could be in the first round.” Upon being pressed if an immediate stoppage represented his official strategy, Joshua affirmed, “Yeah, it is.”
Oddsmakers currently favor Tyson Fury to emerge triumphant, influenced heavily by the former titleholder being dropped early in two out of his preceding three contests. Despite acknowledging his own “vulnerabilities”, the challenger firmly dismissed suggestions that his career was winding down regardless of the match outcome. Describing his current physical state, Joshua declared he remains, “Durable, hard to beat, can show vulnerabilities, but makes it exciting for the fans at home. There’s more to come. The Anthony Joshua journey doesn’t end here.” He also offered a frank assessment of his opponent’s agility, remarking, “He performs to the level he’s at as well, if I’m honest. He’s versatile, and he’s a good little mover around in the ring.”
The decade-long path to finalizing this mega-fight hit several hurdles, nearly collapsing over location disagreements before promoter Eddie Hearn and his boxer successfully lobbied for local hosting. Addressing why hosting the bout locally mattered, Joshua noted, “It meant a lot to me because of the fans. Bringing it to the UK meant a lot to me for the fans. And for me personally, as much as it is just another fight because I don’t like to make too much of it – it’s just what we do – it would be amazing to get the victory in spectacular fashion.” He clarified that he would not have abandoned negotiations if foreign venues had been chosen instead. Explaining his persistence, he added, “I wanted to do everything I could to make it happen and part of that was it being in the UK and we got that so we’re here, but I wasn’t completely willing to walk away from it because it still needed to go ahead. You just listen to the cries and the conversation of those people who love boxing and love competition. People who wanted it to be in the UK would have still been happy that it happened, but I think getting it here is the cherry and icing and everything that needs to be on top of the cake.”
The two iconic two-time world champions finally met face-to-face on Wednesday during an energetic press gathering in London. Both fighters exchanged fierce verbal insults before engaging in an intense stare-down to kick off the promotional tour. This momentous British heavyweight clash is officially scheduled for Friday December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
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