White Blames Hearn's Ego For Fury-Joshua Drama

Dana White singled out Eddie Hearn as the cause of complications that nearly derailed the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The Zuffa Boxing boss told reporters after Tuesday's Contender Series that Hearn's actions threatened the Dec. 11 card in Cardiff, per MMA Junkie. Fury and Joshua are set to meet in a long-delayed British heavyweight collision after weeks of public sparring over promotional control and fight location.

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What White Said About Hearn's Role In Negotiations

White dismissed Hearn's objections as posturing rather than legitimate business concerns. "This isn't a hesitation; this is an ego thing," he said. "Total ego thing." He added that boxing has declined in the United States over the past two decades and now functions primarily as a British-focused sport, with most of the public complaints coming from the UK side of the promotion.

Fury had previously accused Hearn of stalling the fight, while the Matchroom Boxing promoter countered that Fury wanted to move the bout outside England against the terms Joshua had agreed to. Mike Coppinger reported that the dispute put the entire card at risk before both fighters appeared at the kickoff press conference and shared a cordial staredown.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to Dana White's Contender Series, Season 10, Week 8 on Ticketmaster →

White skipped that presser, citing his Contender Series obligations. Hearn has said White will not be permitted to participate in promoting the fight. Both men attended the first face-off between Fury and Joshua, which proceeded without incident despite the behind-the-scenes friction.

The bout is scheduled for Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Dec. 11.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Dana White claims Eddie Hearn’s ‘ego’ caused drama during Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua negotiations