Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in doubt as Cardiff residents object to 1am ring walks

Cardiff Council's Licensing Sub-Committee will decide on 25 November whether the stadium can stay open into the early hours of 12 December, just over two weeks before the heavyweights are due to meet.

Tyson Fury's heavyweight fight with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on 11 December may not go ahead after local residents objected to plans to keep the stadium open into the early hours of the following morning.

The ring walks are scheduled for 1am on 12 December, a slot designed to suit peak viewing time in the United States. Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh, his American business partner Dana White and Netflix had originally pushed for Madison Square Garden in New York to host the fight.

Although Cardiff has been announced as the venue, the changes to its premises licence needed for an early-hours fight have yet to be secured. Millennium Stadium plc has applied to the council to extend timings at the venue as a strictly limited one-off. The application seeks to move the cut-off for boxing and wrestling entertainment from 1am to 3am on 12 December, while organisers want the stadium to be open until 3.30am.

A council spokesperson said: “This is to facilitate the proposed Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury bout, with the ring walk commencing at 0100.” The Licensing Sub-Committee will meet on 25 November to decide whether to grant or reject the request.

One resident who objected urged the council to consider whether the extended hours were necessary and whether safeguards could realistically prevent extra noise, disorder and disruption, adding: “I ask the Council to refuse the application in its current form.” Another resident, who lives next to the stadium, said shouting, singing and anti-social behaviour at that hour would wake their household and leave their children exhausted. They said: “Mixing all-night drinking with a complete lack of transport is just a recipe for trouble, and it's our residential streets that will end up paying the price for it.”

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