Dana White Calls Fury Joshua Drama a Total Ego Thing
Dana White said there is no confusion about Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua.
The UFC CEO spoke after Week 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series in Las Vegas and was asked whether he would attend Wednesday’s launch press conference in London. White said no.
“No, cause I was here, yeah,” White said. “I would have been there if I didn’t have the contender, yeah.”
The Dec. 11 heavyweight fight is scheduled for Principality Stadium in Cardiff and will stream on Netflix. Turki Alalshikh’s The Ring has been listed as a lead promoter, and White’s name appeared on the announcement as a co-promoter.
That credit set off another round of public fighting with Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn. Hearn has argued that Joshua’s contract keeps Zuffa out of the bout. Fury has said he removed a similar clause from his own deal so White could be involved.
A reporter asked White to explain the confusion and whether the fight could still fall apart.
“There’s no confusion, whatsoever,” White said. “I mean, if you look at everything that’s been from the network to the guy who’s actually fing paying for it, and to me saying what I’ve said, I mean, I’ve been saying it now, feels like for fing years, but it’s probably been weeks, but I’ve been saying the same thing.”
Pressed on whether outside voices could still kill the date, White did not leave room.
“No, it’s happening, it’s done,” he said. “It’s done. It’s a done deal. Everything that I’ve been saying is the truth, and why would I say it and double down and triple down and f***ing quadruple down if it wasn’t the case?”
The reporter asked why there would be hesitation around a promoter with White’s history in combat sports.
“This isn’t a hesitation,” White said. “This is an ego thing. Total ego thing. Has nothing to do with, you know, any of this sh*t.”
He then turned the argument toward the British boxing market. White said boxing has lost ground in the United States compared with 20 years ago and has become “a very British sport.”
“And all the sht that you’re hearing, the crying and the btching and the f***ing whatever is all coming from the UK,” he said.
Asked whether the week of noise had soured him on the fight, White shook that off.
“No, no, no. I’m having fun, man.”
The comments landed one day before Fury and Joshua were due to sit together in London. Reports in the British press said Matchroom had moved to keep White off that stage. White’s version was simpler. He was in Las Vegas running Contender Series, and he said the fight itself was already closed.
That claim sits next to a messy paper trail. Netflix named White on the announcement. Hearn has talked about contract breaches. Fury has accused Joshua’s camp of looking for an exit. Joshua’s side has said it still expects the fight to happen.
December 11 in Cardiff is still the published date. Wednesday’s press conference is the next public test of whether the two camps can share a table without White in the room.
White said he will not be there. He also said the fight is a done deal, and he blamed ego — not logistics — for the noise coming out of the United Kingdom.
