British heavyweight boxers Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are reportedly set to share a purse of nearly $200 million (£151 million) for their highly anticipated fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 11 December 2026, although the figures have not been officially confirmed.
According to reports cited by the BBC, the two fighters are expected to receive roughly equal shares, with each potentially earning about $100 million (£75 million). Earlier reports had put their individual earnings at £100 million apiece.
The Times reported that Fury had pushed for a larger share of the purse, making negotiations over a 50-50 split prolonged.
The reported earnings would surpass the fighters’ previous career-high purses, estimated at about £65 million ($85 million) each.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, disclosed that the former world champion had agreed to take a pay cut of more than £10 million ($13 million) to ensure the fight would be staged in the United Kingdom rather than the United States.
Saudi boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh, UFC chief Dana White and Netflix had reportedly favoured holding the bout at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“To keep it in the UK, he (Joshua) has got to turn down eight figures plus,” Hearn said.
Cardiff was eventually selected partly because of the Principality Stadium’s retractable roof, which provides greater flexibility for staging the event.
Promoter Frank Warren said the substantial financial rewards were a major factor in bringing the long-awaited contest to fruition.
“It is huge, huge purses. Massive money. The highest of their careers, I should think the highest of any British fighter’s career, ever,” he told SunSport.
Demand for tickets has been substantial, with approximately 80,000 tickets reportedly selling out within an hour of going on sale on 9 October. More than 500,000 people were said to have joined the Ticketmaster queue.
Ticket prices ranged from £88.50 to £13,128, including fees, reflecting the scale of interest in the all-British heavyweight showdown.
White said ticket sales were projected to generate about $34 million in gate receipts, which he described as a record for British boxing. The fight will be streamed globally on Netflix, with subscribers not required to pay an additional fee to watch it.
For comparison, the rematch between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in 2024 was reportedly valued at about $190 million, although the fighters’ respective shares were not publicly disclosed.
Despite the figures circulating ahead of the December contest, neither fighter’s promoter has officially confirmed the purse amounts. Details of Netflix’s payment, sponsorship revenue and earnings from the undercard have also not been disclosed.
The fighters are expected to make their ring walks at around 1am on Saturday, 12 December, despite the bout being officially scheduled for Friday, 11 December.
The contest is among the most anticipated British heavyweight fights in recent years, with both men set to compete for a significant payday and the chance to settle their long-running rivalry inside the ring.
