Hearn Blames White For Fury-Joshua Collapse
Eddie Hearn says Dana White shoulders the blame for the collapsing Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight, claiming the UFC boss attempted to move the bout to America against the terms of Joshua's signed contract.
Hearn told iFL TV that White tried inserting himself into negotiations he has no involvement in, pressuring Joshua to relocate the heavyweight clash from Britain to the United States. As MMA Fighting first reported, Hearn maintains Joshua turned down substantially more money to keep the fight on U.K. soil. "Anthony Joshua could have taken many millions more to do the fight in America," Hearn said, per Sherdog. "We want the fight in Britain."
White Accused Of Breaking Contract Terms
The Matchroom Boxing chairman says his camp has done nothing except honor the existing agreement. "Dana White has tried to get involved in a fight that he has nothing to do with," he said. Hearn claims White attempted contacting Joshua directly on multiple occasions, going around the promoter entirely. He says those efforts reached the point where legal action became a consideration.
Per BJ Penn, Hearn doubled down on the U.K. location after what he described as overwhelming public support on social media. "The support that we've had on social media, my social media, A.J.'s social media, has made us double down on our principles on this," he told iFL TV. Principality Stadium in Cardiff has emerged as the leading British option, with Wembley also under discussion.
Fury's team reportedly wants Madison Square Garden in New York, a shift from the original terms Joshua signed. Hearn says his fighter refuses to budge. "Unfortunately for these people, the fight will not be taking place in America, because Anthony Joshua is not a sellout," he said. The bout remains unsigned with no date confirmed.
Photo: JazzyJoeyD / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original reporting:
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