Dana White Credit: Paramount+
By Brendon Kleen on

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The status of the recently announced Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight, scheduled for December in Wales, is already in question over the involvement of UFC president Dana White.

Netflix formally announced the fight last week, listing White as an official promoter. White runs Zuffa Boxing alongside Saudi entertainment mogul Turki Al-Sheikh, whose Ring Magazine is also involved with the Fury-Joshua fight. But Zuffa is not overseeing the Fury-Joshua fight, and Joshua’s promoter quickly took issue with White’s announced role.

Joshua’s promoter, the veteran Eddie Hearn, told boxing broadcaster iFL TV that Joshua’s contract for the fight specifically articulates that White cannot be involved:

“Dana White cannot be involved with this fight promotion. Netflix clearly didn’t get the memo. No one talks to each other. I speak to Sela (a Saudi entertainment company) and Turki: ‘No. Dana White is not involved in the fight. You’ve got a contract that says that. He won’t be at the presser … Blah, blah, blah.”

In response, Fury said there is only a one percent chance the fight actually happens.

On Saturday night during a Zuffa broadcast, Paramount+ boxing commentator Max Kellerman added to the confusion. When the Fury-Joshua fight came up, the veteran broadcaster disputed the Netflix press release and claimed White was merely “helping Turki Al-Sheikh in a personal capacity, not as a promoter.”

The comments were interpreted as an attempt by someone in Al-Sheikh’s camp, through Kellerman (who also hosts a podcast for Ring), to make a distinction that could protect them legally.

But just as quickly as Kellerman tried to clean up the mess, White poured gasoline on it.

During a post-match press conference on Saturday, White exploded on a Sky Sports reporter who asked about his involvement in Fury-Joshua and the status of that fight.

“I don’t know where that came from,” White said of Kellerman’s comments. “That was weird.”

Asked whether he knew of the contract clause Hearn referenced about his involvement, White went in a completely different direction before bashing Hearn.

“Am I trying to sign Anthony Joshua?” White asked. “Have you seen anywhere, anybody reporting that I’m trying to sign Anthony Joshua?”

“What I’ve said 150,000 times, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anybody who’s more full of f*cking shit than Eddie Hearn.

“I’m done. If, f*cking if, when, who, whatever. This guy is full of f*cking shit. I’ve been saying the same thing since way back when, and here we are.”

Asked by the same reporter whether he would be willing to step aside if his presence organizing the fight put it in jeopardy, White again side-stepped the question.

“That’s not up to me,” he said. “I’m involved in the f*cking fight.”

“Who’s it up to then? Turk Al-Sheikh?” the reporter asked.

“I don’t know. I know what you’re doing. Your lead questions. You f*cking know.”

Many in combat sports media noted that White’s sarcastic, domineering methods with the press didn’t work as well in this case as they do within the UFC, where whatever he says goes. White seems dead-set on staying involved with Fury-Joshua, even if his stubbornness upends the anticipated bout.

However, the union also seems divided between the often defensive Al-Sheikh and White. Someone clearly fed Kellerman the explanation over White’s role with Fury-Joshua, but the mercurial White didn’t accept the company line.

About Brendon Kleen

Brendon is an Editorial Lead at Awful Announcing overseeing digital content and special projects. He lives in Phoenix and has covered sports media for Awful Announcing since 2023.

View all posts by Brendon Kleen