Dua Lipa unexpectedly became part of the conversation surrounding the long-awaited Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury fight after Saudi boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh mentioned the singer during the event’s launch press conference.
The British heavyweight rivals finally came face-to-face at the promotional event, with their highly anticipated fight officially scheduled for December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
However, the discussion took an unexpected turn when Alalshikh explained why the fight was being staged in Wales rather than London and brought up Dua Lipa’s potential involvement in the event.
Turki Alalshikh Brings Up Dua Lipa at Joshua-Fury Press Conference
While discussing the decision to hold the fight in Cardiff, Alalshikh said London would not provide him with a stadium until 2am.
He then turned his attention to Dua Lipa, claiming that the singer did not want to perform at the event because she “doesn’t like boxing.” He also suggested that she might not like him personally.
Alalshikh subsequently made a further comment referring to Arabs and his own background.
There is no public evidence establishing that Dua Lipa declined the performance because of Alalshikh’s ethnicity, and the singer has not publicly stated why she decided not to perform at the event.
Dua Lipa Fans Question the Unexpected Comments
The remarks quickly drew attention online, with some Dua Lipa fans questioning why the singer had become part of a heavyweight boxing press conference in the first place.
One user on X asked why Dua Lipa was being discussed during a boxing event, while another criticised the suggestion that her decision could be connected to ethnicity.
Other reactions described the moment as embarrassing and questioned the reasoning behind bringing the singer into the conversation.
Some fans also defended Dua’s decision not to participate, although the online reactions represent individual opinions rather than an established explanation for why she declined the performance.
Dua Lipa Had Previously Been Linked to Joshua vs Fury
Dua Lipa’s connection to the Joshua-Fury event is not entirely new.
Earlier in 2026, reports suggested that Alalshikh was interested in having the singer perform if the fight were staged in London. According to BBC Sport, Dua had subsequently been approached about performing but declined the offer.
Her decision meant she was not expected to appear as part of the entertainment lineup when Joshua and Fury eventually meet.
Major musical performances have increasingly become part of large boxing events associated with Alalshikh.
Liam Gallagher performed at Wembley Stadium before Anthony Joshua’s 2024 world-title fight against Daniel Dubois, while Eminem performed ahead of Terence Crawford’s bout with Israil Madrimov during the same year.
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury Finally Set for Their Fight
The attention surrounding Dua Lipa comes as Joshua and Fury prepare for one of the most anticipated all-British heavyweight contests of recent years.
Joshua’s most recent fight was a December victory over Jake Paul, while Fury returned from retirement earlier in 2026 and defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.
The two heavyweights appeared considerably more cordial than expected when they finally shared the stage at the launch event. Both fighters exchanged praise and jokes during the appearance as the long-running rivalry moved closer to an actual fight.
With the bout now scheduled for Cardiff, the focus is expected to return to Joshua and Fury’s preparations. Yet an unexpected mention of Dua Lipa has added an entirely different talking point to the fight’s promotional buildup.
