Eddie Hearn revealed that neither he nor Anthony Joshua agreed to Tyson Fury being designated as the A-side for their highly anticipated December clash. The bout between Joshua and Fury is set for December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and is being billed as possibly the biggest British boxing event ever. The fight announcement came with Fury’s name prominently featured first on the promotional poster, which sparked some controversy.
Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn acknowledged ongoing negotiations and unresolved details about the fight, including the order of billing. He insisted that the official listing of “Fury vs AJ” was not something they had approved. A planned press conference might even be postponed due to these lingering issues.
One major sticking point is UFC President Dana White’s purported involvement. Despite White’s claims of promoting the event and his appearance in the official press release, Hearn clarified that White has no promotional role, as contractually agreed with the Saudi company Sela and Turki Alalshikh. Netflix’s announcement wrongly suggested White’s involvement, which caused frustration for Hearn, who described the situation as poorly communicated and “petty.” He emphasized that the fight promotion is strictly under their control and that White is not participating.
Hearn also touched on previous negotiations that almost moved the fight to Madison Square Garden in New York. Despite the lure of millions more, Joshua opted to keep the fight in the UK, underscoring his preference to stay home for this major event.
Fan Take: This behind-the-scenes drama underscores the complexities involved in major fight promotions, especially when multiple big personalities and organizations are involved. For fight fans, it highlights the importance of clear agreements lessening confusion and ensuring the focus remains on the action in the ring, which ultimately drives the sport forward.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
