Just two days after the highly anticipated announcement of Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua, UFC president Dana White expressed significant uncertainty regarding whether the event will actually take place. White, who serves as chief promoter for Zuffa Boxing and was named in the promotional team for the clash, stated, “I don’t know,” when asked about the fight’s status during an event at London’s Copper Box on Saturday.
The comments followed a tumultuous 24-hour period that has cast a shadow over one of British boxing’s most awaited matchups. Although the fight was officially confirmed for December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium with global streaming on Netflix, the certainty unraveled quickly due to a disagreement over promotional rights.
At the center of the conflict is White’s involvement, which has drawn sharp opposition from Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s long-time promoter. Hearn asserts that Joshua’s contract explicitly prohibits White and the American sports entertainment company TKO from holding a promotional role. He claims Netflix was not informed of this restriction and alleged breaches of the agreement, thereby questioning the validity of the upcoming press conference.
In contrast, Fury has indicated that while a similar contractual clause existed in his own deal, it was removed specifically because he desired White’s participation. Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, adopted a more conciliatory tone, suggesting to BBC Sport that White’s role was instrumental in securing the Netflix deal and that compromises were necessary to finalize the bout.
Tensions escalated further through social media. Fury released a video claiming Joshua and Hearn were attempting to withdraw from the fight, blaming the discord on Hearn’s objections. Meanwhile, Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh posted cryptic messages, and Hearn responded with a shushing emoji and the caption, “Bet against me.” Reports also surfaced that alternative fights, including a potential bout between Ryan Garcia and Terence Crawford, were being discussed for the December date, though Crawford dismissed the rumors.
Despite the chaos, Netflix continues to list the event on its schedule, and no formal withdrawal has been announced by Joshua’s camp. However, the unresolved contractual issues leave the fight in limbo. With the first major promotional event in doubt and key figures unable to confirm the details, the boxing world waits to see if the long-awaited showdown can survive its latest hurdle.
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