Dana White and Eddie Hearn remain at odds over the specifics surrounding the highly anticipated Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua boxing match scheduled for December. White was in Salt Lake City on Saturday for UFC 332, where Natalia Silva secured the UFC women’s flyweight title. Meanwhile, earlier that day in Birmingham, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn spoke at a press conference after Ben Whittaker’s IBF final eliminator win over Conor Wallace, responding to White’s recent assertion that he is still involved in promoting and producing the Fury vs. Joshua bout for Netflix.
Hearn’s remarks came just a day after he shared a viral compilation of White giving inconsistent and puzzled statements about the fight. “To be honest, I think he’s completely lost it at this point,” Hearn said of the UFC president. “He claimed, ‘We are doing the TV production,’ which is actually forbidden by contract.” He added that although he initially hesitated to release the compilation video out of sympathy, White’s defiant reaction pushed him to share it. Hearn also said he talked with SELA, who confirmed in writing that White’s claims were false and that the contract prevents him from producing the event.
Despite this, White doubled down during UFC 332’s post-fight press conference when questioned about Hearn’s statements. Although White missed the Fury vs. Joshua launch press conference earlier in the week due to his commitment to UFC’s Contender Series, he insisted he will be at the fight in Cardiff on December 11 and will be managing the production. “I will be there,” White affirmed. “We’re producing the show, just like we did for ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford. My team and I will handle it, and I’ll have my phone on the table like at every other show I produce.”
The rivalry between White and Hearn has escalated throughout 2026, intensified by White’s involvement with TKO’s Zuffa Boxing and their ongoing dispute over the Fury vs. Joshua fight. Despite exchanging numerous public jabs, Hearn expressed a grudging respect for White’s persistence in claiming a role in the bout. “I’ve got to admire him for not just conceding,” Hearn said. “He refuses to back down, which is impressive. They want me to meet them in LA next week, which I probably will.”
Hearn suggested the potential meeting could be to “clear the air” or decide how to proceed. He emphasized that White cannot participate in the fight unless he and Anthony Joshua agree to it. “They seem desperate to be involved—Turki Alalshikh, Netflix, and them want it,” Hearn said, noting he’s open to inclusion but wants to understand what’s in it for Joshua and his team before making any decisions.
White, however, appeared unaware of any planned meeting in Los Angeles. “I haven’t heard anything about meetings next week,” he said. “Who would I meet with or what would it be about? I’ve answered all these questions for as long as we’ve been discussing this. I won’t respond to rumors; I’ll be at the event, producing and promoting it. See you in Wales.”
Fan Take:
This ongoing dispute underscores the complex power struggles behind major fight promotions and highlights how egos and business interests can overshadow the sport itself. For fight fans, the resolution of this conflict is crucial—how it plays out could set important precedents for promoter roles in cross-promotional mega-events that define boxing’s future.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
