The World Boxing Association is set to sanction the highly anticipated Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua showdown for its vacant “Super” heavyweight title when the former champions meet on December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

The decision means the all-British blockbuster will carry world-title significance despite Murat Gassiev remaining the WBA’s current heavyweight titleholder. Gassiev was elevated after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt in June.  

Fury and Joshua will therefore have an opportunity to reclaim a version of the heavyweight crown in a fight that has taken years to materialise.

The December 11 contest was officially announced last week, ending a long period of failed negotiations between the two former world champions. Promoter Turki Alalshikh confirmed Cardiff as the venue, with the fight backed by The Ring and Netflix.  

The WBA’s move, however, has created controversy because Gassiev remains a recognised WBA heavyweight champion.

Gassiev’s co-promoter, Ivaylo Gotzev, has called for clarification over the decision, arguing that the existence of a new “Super” champion above an existing WBA titleholder requires a clear explanation of how the arrangement fits the organisation’s rules and championship structure.  

The development effectively reintroduces a multiple-title structure within the WBA heavyweight division, despite the organisation’s previous efforts to reduce the number of champions in each weight class.  

Fury enters the contest following a return to the ring this year, while Joshua also returned to action with a knockout victory over Kristian Prenga in July.

Fury has a professional record of 36 wins, two defeats and one draw, including 25 victories inside the distance. Joshua, meanwhile, has recorded 30 wins and four defeats, with 27 of his victories coming by knockout, according to the latest report.  

Both fighters are former two-time heavyweight champions whose reigns eventually ended against Usyk.

Fury lost to Usyk twice, while Joshua was also beaten twice by the Ukrainian, who subsequently became the undisputed heavyweight champion before vacating titles as the division’s landscape changed.  

The Fury-Joshua fight has generated renewed attention because the two British heavyweights never met during their respective championship peaks, despite years of negotiations and public discussion about the matchup.

Their December encounter will now provide both men with another opportunity to add a major world title to their careers, while the WBA’s decision ensures that the belt will be one of the major talking points surrounding the contest.

The sanctioning arrangement is also likely to remain under scrutiny because of Gassiev’s position as the existing WBA heavyweight champion.

For Fury and Joshua, however, attention will increasingly shift towards December 11 and the long-awaited meeting at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, where one of the sport’s biggest heavyweight rivalries will finally take place.