Boxing

Fury vs Joshua Wembley Fight Needs 2am Start Time

Erik Williams 3 min read
Fury vs Joshua Wembley face-off with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua staring each other down in front of the fight poster

A potential Fury vs Joshua Wembley fight would need ring walks to begin at 2am GMT, according to Sky Sports. That works out at 9pm ET for viewers in the United States. So it’s a notable shift from the 4am GMT slot discussed only weeks earlier.

Fury vs Joshua Wembley Plan Explained

Wembley Stadium usually runs to an 11pm curfew for major events. So any later finish would need formal sign-off from Brent Council, the local authority responsible for the venue. Officials there would review the plan through the stadium’s safety advisory group.

Then that group weighs up crowd safety and noise before recommending anything further. Meanwhile, organiser Turki Alalshikh has already floated the idea publicly, keen to reach American viewers during peak hours. Still, nobody has confirmed a venue or a final timing just yet.

Why Brent Council Holds the Final Say

Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he supports the idea of a Fury vs Joshua Wembley night. However, the practical decision rests with Brent Council rather than City Hall. Alalshikh has said his team was told a later timing is “not possible” so far.

Naturally, that response places real pressure on negotiations ahead of any formal announcement. Since safety sign-off sits with the council’s advisory group, City Hall’s enthusiasm alone won’t settle the matter. Therefore, fans hoping for a London date may need patience before organisers confirm anything.

Fury vs Joshua Wembley Timing Has Precedent

Early starts aren’t new to British combat sports chasing US audiences. Ricky Hatton beat Kostya Tszyu in Manchester around 2am for exactly this reason back in 2005. Then Joe Calzaghe followed a similar pattern in his own fights soon after.

Even so, Wembley presents a tougher logistical puzzle than an indoor arena. When Fury fought Dillian Whyte there in April 2022, the opening bell rang at 10.50pm, the latest start the stadium has seen. Consequently, a genuine 2am slot would represent uncharted territory for the venue.

Road to November: The Warm-Up Fights

Both men still have box-office business to settle before any Wembley talks matter much. First, Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Pattaya on 24 July. Joshua meets Kristian Prenga in Riyadh the following day.

Assuming both bouts pass off without any shocks, those fights represent the last real hurdle. After that, organisers could finally lock in a full Fury-Joshua showdown for November. Elsewhere on the domestic scene, British heavyweight prospects continue building momentum of their own as the sport’s profile grows.

What a Fury vs Joshua Wembley Fight Would Mean

Once confirmed, a Fury vs Joshua Wembley date would rank among the biggest nights in British boxing history. Wembley has already hosted crowds beyond 90,000 for previous heavyweight clashes. A fight of this scale would likely match or beat those numbers.

Indeed, reporting on the ongoing talks has stressed just how much rests on logistics rather than sport. Transport, noise limits and crowd dispersal all factor into whether an overnight fight can actually happen at Wembley. Ultimately, regulation rather than rivalry may decide where this fight lands.

Fans will keep debating the matchup long before anyone settles on a venue. Fury and Joshua have circled each other for years, and patience is wearing thin either way. Whether or not a Fury vs Joshua Wembley night actually happens, expect plenty of noise well before any first bell rings.