After a bit of a false start earlier this year, we now have a date for Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko.
The bout will see three belts on the line – Joshua’s IBF strap and the WBA (Super) and IBO heavyweight titles vacated by Tyson Fury – and is scheduled for April 29 next year.
As well as defending his world title, Joshua will be putting his enviable 18-0 record on the line, with this month’s third-round stoppage of Éric Molina ensuring each of his fights has ended via knockout.
Klitschko, meanwhile, has not fought since losing his belts to Fury last year – his first setback in more than a decade.
There is naturally plenty of interest in the matchup, and this was reflected in ticket sales, with the Wembley Stadium meeting selling out in less than an hour.
General admission tickets for #joshuaklitschko have now sold out on Wembley Tickets.
— Wembley Stadium (@wembleystadium) December 20, 2016
And demand comfortably outstripped supply, with plenty of fight fans cursing their luck at failing to secure their place in the crowd for what promises to be one of the most hotly anticipated bouts of 2017.
Had a mare earlier trying to buy tickets for #joshuaklitschko when they sold out straight away😫
— Callum McArthur (@callum_co) December 20, 2016
Have the tickets sold out?! Or we queuing I'm confused #joshuaklitschko
— Katie Andrews (@andrewskatie191) December 20, 2016
Shock, #JoshuaKlitschko tickets sold out before I'd even got out of the queue 🙄👍
— JR (@JSR__93) December 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/Matt_Cann/status/811187404593831937
#joshuaklitschko sold out already 😭😭
— Ryan Steadman (@ryans1805) December 20, 2016
Approximately 50,000 tickets have been sold in the initial batch, though a second release of tickets will take place in January.
A number of tickets are already being sold on StubHub at above the initial asking price, with the most expensive floor-level tickets available for £2,650 at the time of writing.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested the fight will have a bigger attendance than the rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves – which attracted 80,000 people to Wembley – suggesting 35,000 more tickets will become available in the new year.
Catch up with this week’s episode of Football Friday Live:
