The uncertainty intensified on Friday evening.

Reports emerged that Fury-Joshua could be in jeopardy and alternative fights for 11 December were being discussed, including Ryan Garcia against the recently retired three-weight undisputed champion Terence Crawford.

Crawford appeared as surprised as anyone, publicly questioning the suggestion he could be fighting Garcia.

Then Fury intervened.

In a video posted on social media, he claimed Joshua and Hearn were "trying to pull out" and blamed the dispute largely on Hearn's objection to White.

There has been no announcement from Joshua saying he intends to withdraw.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at British Airways ARC, London

Dana White was asked on Saturday night whether Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua would actually happen.

"I don't know," he told us.

He then said he had "no idea" whether this very news conference would take place.

Three days later, Fury and Joshua are both in London and tonight's launch is happening. Even by boxing's standards, that is quite a turnaround. But you can’t blame fans for not actually believing it will happen until that first bell rings in Cardiff in the early hours of 12 December.

Image source, Getty Images

Netflix and Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh's fight announcement was striking for who it included - and who it did not. The event was presented as a collaboration involving Alalshikh's The Ring and White.

There was no mention of Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, who has promoted Joshua throughout his professional career, or Queensberry's Frank Warren, Tyson Fury's long-time promoter.

White's involvement was not entirely unexpected.

The Zuffa Boxing promoter has been saying for weeks that he would be involved in Fury-Joshua.

Hearn has been equally adamant he would not. After Thursday's announcement, Hearn said Joshua's contract specifically prevented White and American sports entertainment company TKO from having a promotional role, claiming Netflix had not been made aware of that provision.

It was written into Anthony Joshua's contract that this fight with Tyson Fury must take place in the UK and he stood firm on his choice.

His promoter Eddie Hearn said: "Forever indebted to the UK public for their support of Anthony Joshua. We couldn't have got this over the line without you."

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at British Airways ARC, London

Fans are being let into the British Airways ARC, with a few hundred limited tickets made available and a healthy queue having built up outside.

On stage, one word is splashed across the giant screen: “Finally.” Hard to argue with that.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have actually been here for a while, having arrived earlier for one-to-one interviews.

Joshua was relaxed and understated in a grey tracksuit. Fury, predictably, went the other way - a vivid emerald-green suit covered in crown motifs over a crisp white shirt.

Where will you be watching if this fight gets going at 02:00 GMT?

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at British Airways ARC, London

Anthony Joshua pushed hard for this fight to stay in Britain and Cardiff eventually got the nod after New York had been seriously considered.

One unusual detail still to be settled is the timing. Joshua and Tyson Fury could be walking to the ring in the early hours of Saturday morning, with the schedule designed partly around the US audience.

Fury has already made clear he thinks a 02:00 GMT ring walk is too late. Plenty still to sort, then - but tonight, at least, we finally get Fury and Joshua in the same room.

Ricky Hatton's career-defining victory over Kostya Tszyu at Manchester's MEN Arena in June 2005 began at about 02:00 local time, allowing US broadcaster Showtime to show the fight on Saturday evening.

Less than a year later, Welshman Joe Calzaghe's unification fight against Jeff Lacy at the same arena was staged at a similar hour. Calzaghe's 2007 victory over Kessler in Cardiff was also influenced by the US television schedule.

Mixed martial arts has gone even later. Michael Bisping's UFC title defence against Dan Henderson in Manchester in 2016 began deep into the night, with the fighters making their way to the octagon at about 04:45 local time.

When the UFC returned to Manchester in 2024, the UFC 304 main card began at 03:00 BST - corresponding with its traditional 22:00 start on the US east coast, with Briton Leon Edwards fighting Belal Muhammad in the main event just after 05:30.

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We're very early into this build-up so let's get right to it.

Who has their hand raised on 11 December, Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua?

"What time is the first bell, Frank?"

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Would we say this is the most anticipated boxing face-off since Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao back in 2015?

And here's Matchroom's Eddie Hearn on why his fighter Anthony Joshua wanted this fight to take place in the UK.

It's been a journey, hasn't it?

This fight was originally thought to be in London, then talk around was that it would be moved to New York's Madison Square Garden before Cardiff's Principality Stadium came to the rescue for the UK.

Get that roof closed in December!

Image source, Getty Images

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport boxing journalist at British Airways ARC, London

Good evening from the British Airways ARC at Olympia in west London, where Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are finally about to share a stage with a signed fight and an actual date in the diary.

There is something quite fitting about them meeting at a venue called the ARC - this rivalry has certainly taken the long way round.

Is Fury-Joshua later than most fans wanted? Yes. Has the fight itself been overshadowed by years of failed negotiations, and then another few days of contracts, promoters and rows? Absolutely.

But this does feel like an occasion. Fury and Joshua are both in London, both expected on this stage and, if the sparks fly, it will not take long for the conversation to swing back to why this rivalry has mattered for so long.

All being well and everyone appearing on time, then this launch news conference should get going at 18:00 BST.

Not long to wait until we finally see Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua face-to-face.

I can't believe I'm finally typing this but... welcome to this live text where we will bring you the Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua launch news conference.

Yep, that's right. Fury v Joshua is real and actually happening on 11 December in Cardiff.

But a couple of days ago, it almost wasn't happening so we'll dive into that a little more as we wait for the two heavyweights to take to the stage.

Image source, Getty Images

Let's get this show on the road.

Image source, Getty Images