Dana White casts doubt over Fury-Joshua after promoter dispute clouds Cardiff announcement
Dana White said he had "no idea" whether the scheduled Fury‑Joshua news conference will go ahead after a dispute over promotional rights prompted claims of contractual breaches and talk of replacement fights.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua were announced to meet at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 11 December, live on Netflix, but fresh uncertainty has emerged after a row over who can promote the event. Zuffa Boxing chief Dana White, named as one of the figures involved in the Netflix announcement, said he did not know whether the planned Wednesday news conference would take place. The dispute centres on promotional rights and alleged contractual breaches involving Joshua's long‑time promoter Eddie Hearn, with social‑media posts, alternative fight discussions and competing accounts deepening the confusion.
White non‑committal on news conference: "I have no idea"
Dana White was asked at London's Copper Box whether Wednesday's Fury‑Joshua news conference would go ahead and replied, "I have no idea." White attended the Zuffa Boxing card where Johnny Fisher beat Michael Pirotton in his Zuffa debut. He used the opportunity to criticise Eddie Hearn, saying: "The guy who is supposed to be helping the fight has been hurting the fight. He hasn't done the fight any favours." White also rejected a suggested interpretation of his role and later teased whether he would attend the press event: "I guess I'll leave that as a surprise."
Contract row over promotional rights sparks claims of breaches
Thursday's announcement that Fury and Joshua would meet on 11 December listed a conspicuous set of collaborators — Netflix and Turki Alalshikh's The Ring alongside White — but omitted the fighters' long‑time promoters, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren. Hearn said Joshua's contract specifically prevented White and US company TKO from having a promotional role and claimed Netflix had not been made aware of that provision. He said the agreement had been breached and needed resolving, casting doubt on whether the Wednesday launch would go ahead. Fury said a similar restriction initially appeared in his own contract but was removed because he wanted White involved. Warren told BBC Sport that he understood White had helped secure the Netflix deal and that compromises were necessary to get the fight made.
Talk of replacement fights and social‑media sparring
The uncertainty intensified on Friday with reports that Fury‑Joshua could be in jeopardy and that alternative bouts for 11 December were being discussed, including Ryan Garcia v Terence Crawford. Crawford appeared surprised by the suggestion and, in a video, said Joshua and Hearn were "trying to pull out", blaming the dispute largely on Hearn's objection to White. Turki Alalshikh posted pictures with White and shared a cryptic message in Arabic; Hearn posted a photo with a shushing emoji and the caption: "Bet against me." The exchanges underlined how quickly the public announcement gave way to a familiar mix of claims and counterclaims.
Netflix still lists Cardiff date but contractual issues remain unresolved
As of Saturday night, Netflix continued to list Fury v Joshua at the Principality Stadium on 11 December and said the fighters would attend Wednesday's news conference. Despite that listing, the contractual disagreement over promotional roles remained unresolved. White rejected suggestions he was acting only on a personal level for Alalshikh — "I don't know where that came from" — and lawyers are likely to examine closely the dispute over what Joshua's contract permits. With significant time and money already invested, the participants face another contractual hurdle before the contest can be considered secure.