After a decade of stalled negotiations, public squabbling and false begins, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will lastly meet within the ring on r at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
BBC Sport understands the WBA 'Tremendous' heavyweight title is anticipated to be on the road, though affirmation from the governing physique continues to be awaited.
It could give each former world champions the prospect to regain a model of the heavyweight crown, though Fury-Joshua has at all times been about greater than belts.
The struggle arrives later than anyone wished, with each within the twilight of their careers, however for years British boxing's largest heavyweight rivalry appeared destined to stay a narrative of what may need been.
But Thursday's announcement of an 80,000-capacity showdown, broadcast globally by Netflix, did greater than lastly present a date and venue.
It additionally supplied a glimpse of the competing pursuits, egos and energy struggles concerned in getting one in all boxing's most elusive fights over the road.
How compromise lastly obtained the struggle made
Talking to BBC Sport after the struggle was introduced, Fury's promoter Frank Warren repeatedly returned to 1 phrase: compromise.
"All people's obtained to make a compromise," the Queensberry boss mentioned. "Tyson actually compromised. He didn't dig his heels in.
"He mentioned, 'High-quality, wherever they need it, I'll do it. If they need me to go to New York, I'll go. They need it within the UK, I simply need to get the struggle on."
The fighters had already agreed to the competition however the venue was a sticking level.
Warren says Netflix wished New York, whereas Joshua, 36, was decided to struggle in Britain. Predictably, their camps disagree over who lastly obtained it carried out.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn described the push to maintain the struggle in Britain as a "two-man campaign".
"AJ has turned down cash to maintain it within the UK," Hearn informed the Matchroom YouTube channel. "I wouldn't be capable of look folks within the eye if I used to be a part of the motion to take this to the US."
Hearn says Joshua had particularly requested safety for a UK struggle in his contract and refused to relent.
"We had been beneath a lot strain to fold," he added. "It was solely actually the assist of the British public that made Joshua stand 10 toes down and say no."
Warren sees it in a different way.
He says Fury, 38, may have insisted on his personal contractual place however as an alternative accepted Britain to make sure the struggle didn’t collapse.
The facility wrestle and Dana White sideshow
Maybe the most important sideshow has been the wrestle for affect across the promotion itself.
Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh introduced the struggle, having beforehand insisted any affirmation would come from him.
"For 15 years no-one has been in a position to make this struggle," he wrote. "Again in April, I mentioned that any announcement would come from me. I can now affirm that Fury v Joshua shall be coming to the UK, as I promised British boxing followers. The time for speaking is over."
Dana White's involvement is especially intriguing.
The UFC chief is partnered with Alalshikh by means of Zuffa Boxing and featured prominently within the announcement, with Netflix describing the occasion as a collaboration involving White and Alalshikh's The Ring. Hearn and Warren had been absent.
Hearn had beforehand mentioned White wouldn’t be concerned in selling the struggle, whereas Warren says each fighters' contracts stipulated the identical.
But Warren says White in the end helped safe the Netflix deal however believes followers care little concerning the promotional politics.
"I don't know whether or not he shall be entrance and centre or not," Warren mentioned.
Wednesday's information convention in London might inform us extra – not least how outstanding White is and the way he and Hearn share the stage after months of back-and-forth.
Ringwalk and what occurs to the winner?
Even Cardiff comes with competing claims of credit score.
Hearn had publicly pushed for the Principality Stadium in current weeks, whereas Warren informed BBC Sport Queensberry and Saudi occasions firm Sela spent a number of months working "quietly" with the venue and native authorities.
The stadium's retractable roof makes it effectively suited to a December occasion and there may be precedent for late night time boxing.
Joe Calzaghe's victory over Mikkel Kessler there in 2007 passed off beneath a closed roof, with the struggle beginning after 01:00 GMT to accommodate American tv. Fury-Joshua is anticipated to comply with an analogous sample.
The precise ringwalk time stays within the palms of Netflix, with Hearn saying his present understanding is round 01:00 or 01:30 GMT. Warren has dominated out something as late as 04:00.
"If it went on in America you'd be watching it 5 o'clock within the morning," Warren mentioned. "It's a compromise and it's an occasion."
There is no such thing as a contractual rematch clause, based on Hearn. "We're coming in for the form of victory that no-one might want to see the struggle once more," he mentioned.
Warren believes the winner can proceed in direction of additional world-title alternatives. For the loser, he thinks the street might finish in Cardiff.
Regardless of the consequence, Fury-Joshua has lengthy been outlined by the explanations it didn’t occur.
However in simply over eleven weeks there shall be no extra negotiations, competing claims or hypothetical outcomes – simply Fury and Joshua, in the identical ring eventually.
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