After more than a decade of public feuding and false starts, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua exchanged pleasantries, traded jokes and even discussed going for a pint at a news conference in London.

The British heavyweight rivals will fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 11 December.

But for all the history between them, the launch felt more like two veterans in the closing stages of long, turbulent careers taking stock of how far they had both come.

“He’s been a role model and poster boy for British boxing for years,” Fury, 38, said of Joshua. “I mostly find myself defending my arch rival to fans in the street.”

On Monday, there was still uncertainty over whether the fight would happen because of contractual disagreements surrounding the promotion.

There had been plenty of reason to expect fireworks on Wednesday. Instead, Joshua, 36, spoke about the magnitude of the event.

“It’s breathtaking and I’m not saying that lightly,” he said.

“I’m really grateful for this opportunity and bringing it to Great Britain because I know people in pubs have had proper fights about who will win and family members have fallen out.”

The mood was perhaps best summed up at the face-off, when Joshua smiled and pretended to tickle Fury’s stomach.

There was something almost surreal about seeing Fury and Joshua finally sitting side by side after so many years in which their rivalry had existed mostly through interviews, social media and failed negotiations.

Both had arrived hours earlier for one-to-one interviews. When the news conference began, master of ceremonies Michael Buffer introduced the pair as fireworks shot up from the front of the stage.

They entered from opposite sides at the same time – Joshua relaxed and composed in a grey tracksuit and sunglasses, Fury in more flamboyant fashion in a vivid emerald-green suit covered in crown motifs over a white shirt.

Alongside the world’s media, a few hundred fans filled the balcony above and quickly made their allegiance known as “Oh Anthony Joshua” rang around the British Airways ARC.

Joshua has been credited with pushing to keep the fight in Britain and, if Wednesday was any indication, can expect strong backing in Cardiff – even with the main event potentially starting about 02:00 GMT to suit American audiences.

For two men whose names have been linked for so long, Fury and Joshua have spent remarkably little time together. But their famous sparring session in 2010, when Joshua was still an amateur, soon became the topic of conversation.

Fury suggested he had got the better of it, prompting one fan to shout: “Liar.” Joshua smiled and said he could not remember.

For those who believe the fight has come years too late, Fury had a simple response. “It’s the icing on the cake of two great careers,” he said. Moments later, he glanced back at the word “Finally” on the giant screen behind them.

There were several moments of common ground. Fury nodded along as Joshua spoke about his Christian faith and, even when the pair traded insults, they rarely felt venomous.

“This man here is carved in stone and every time he gets cracked on the jaw, he falls over,” Fury said.

“When I crack him on the jaw with a big right hand, he’s going down.”

Joshua laughed and shouted back Fury’s own catchphrase: “Get up.”

The fight has been reported as being for the vacant WBA ‘super’ heavyweight title, although current WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev’s team has lodged a formal objection over the proposed title arrangement.

For a moment, it appeared the mood could turn when Joshua revealed he had received a call asking whether Fury’s name could appear first in the promotion.

“You’ve been crying behind the scenes to get out of this fight. I’ve checkmated you. You have to fight,” Fury replied.

“I’ve actually never won a world title here. Now it’s on the line, we can become a three-time.”

That exchange came after several chaotic days in which the role of UFC and Zuffa Boxing chief Dana White had threatened to overshadow the fight.

Netflix had presented White as part of the promotion alongside Turki Alalshikh’s The Ring, despite Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn insisting his fighter’s contract prevented White from having a promotional role.

But White did not attend Wednesday’s launch. And when Alalshikh thanked the American from the stage, his name was met with jeers from sections of the crowd.

Fury did momentarily take aim at Hearn, calling him a “sausage” – but even that did not last long.

Within minutes, Fury was offering to go for a pint with the Matchroom boss – and extended the invitation to Joshua.

“I hope after this fight we can have a pint of Guinness together,” Fury said. “Win, lose or draw, let’s bury the hatchet.”

“I don’t know if I can trust you,” Joshua replied, drawing laughter.

The overriding mood was one of relief between two veterans, who were seemingly happy to let the fight settle what years of talk could not.