Dana White is promoting Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua ticket sales on his own social media while Eddie Hearn continues to insist the UFC boss cannot simply involve himself in the event without his approval.
Tickets for the December 11 heavyweight blockbuster in Cardiff go on general sale on Friday, and White is now actively helping to sell them.
That would normally be completely unremarkable for somebody promoting a major fight.
The problem is that Hearn has spent weeks insisting White isn’t promoting Fury vs Joshua.
White says he is, while Hearn says the contracts say he isn’t. White says he is producing the show, while Hearn says he can’t do that either.
Anthony Joshua has backed Hearn, Tyson Fury has accused the other side of putting the entire fight in jeopardy, Netflix previously named White in its announcement, and the British Boxing Board of Control paperwork reportedly did not list Zuffa Boxing among the licensed promoters.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, White failed to attend the launch press conference, Hearn declared victory, White doubled down, and the two men started trading increasingly personal attacks.
Now, after weeks of arguing through interviews, Hearn has finally been given White’s number.
This is how one of boxing’s strangest promotional disputes reached the point where Dana White is advertising tickets for a fight Eddie Hearn still says he cannot promote.
How Dana vs Eddie Unraveled
September 2 — Hearn Draws the Line
The dispute was already established before Fury vs Joshua was officially announced.
Hearn maintained that the agreement surrounding Joshua specifically excluded White and the wider TKO Group from involvement.
Asked whether revised terms surrounding the fight could open the door to White, Hearn’s position was emphatic.
“No or else there will be no fight and we’ll just keep going,” he said.
The battle lines had been drawn.
September 11 — White Accuses Hearn
White responded by accusing Hearn of actively sabotaging Fury vs Joshua.
The UFC boss described the situation as “the weirdest thing ever,” having previously enjoyed a considerably friendlier relationship with his British promotional rival.
White could not understand why Joshua’s own promoter appeared so determined to prevent him from becoming involved in one of the biggest fights in boxing.
Hearn saw things differently. For him and Joshua, the issue was not whether White wanted to help, but whether the agreements they had signed allowed him to.
September 24 — Netflix Adds Dana White
Fury vs Joshua was finally confirmed for December 11 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, live on Netflix.
Netflix’s announcement associated White with the promotion despite Hearn’s repeated insistence that the UFC boss could not be involved.
Hearn’s response was memorable.
“Netflix clearly didn’t get the memo,” he said.
The fight was official, but the argument over who was actually promoting it was nowhere near finished.
September 26 — Fury Says Fight Is at Risk
The dispute then threatened to become considerably more serious.
Fury claimed the fight was in jeopardy amid the promotional disagreement and accused Joshua and Hearn of attempting to pull out.
White subsequently admitted uncertainty surrounding the planned launch press conference as the dispute continued.
A promotional argument had suddenly become a potential threat to Fury vs Joshua itself.
September 30 — Dana Misses London
White had been expected to become one of the biggest talking points at the first Fury vs Joshua press conference in London.
He didn’t attend, citing his UFC commitments and travel issues, but his absence handed Hearn the opportunity to declare victory in their increasingly public battle.
White’s name was even booed when mentioned at the event.
Hearn described what had unfolded as “one of the greatest PR disasters in boxing.”
The Matchroom chairman believed he had won, but White had other ideas.
White Says He’s Producing It
October 2 — White Doubles Down
Rather than retreat after missing the London launch, White made an even bigger claim.
“We’re producing the show,” White said.
He compared the situation to Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford and insisted his UFC production team would be working on Fury vs Joshua.
“I’ll be there. I’m producing it. I’m promoting it. I’ll see you in Wales.”
That directly contradicted Hearn’s understanding of the agreements surrounding the event.
October 4 — Hearn Says White Is ‘Cooked’
Hearn responded by saying White’s claimed production role was also prohibited.
“To be honest with you at this point, I think he’s completely cooked,” Hearn said.
“What he actually said was, ‘We are doing the TV production,’ which again in the contract is prohibited.”
Hearn said he contacted Sela and received confirmation supporting his interpretation of the agreement.
White did not back down, leaving the two men publicly describing completely different versions of the same event.
October 5 — The Feud Gets Personal
The argument then moved beyond contracts and production.
White took aim at Hearn’s credentials and contrasted him with his father, Barry Hearn, while also praising rival British promoter Frank Warren.
Hearn responded by attacking White’s progress with Zuffa Boxing.
What had started as a disagreement over Fury vs Joshua was becoming an increasingly personal promotional war.
October 6 — Hearn Attacks Zuffa
Hearn described Zuffa Boxing’s opening months as “absolutely abysmal” despite the money and powerful connections behind White’s move into the sport.
He also questioned White’s focus on boxing at a time when Hearn believes the UFC itself faces growing competition and needs new stars.
Yet during the same interview cycle, something important changed.
Hearn opened the door to White becoming involved.
His position was no longer simply that White could have nothing to do with Fury vs Joshua.
Hearn said he did not necessarily care if TKO ultimately produced the show, provided the existing agreements were respected and a deal was reached with the people already involved.
After weeks of warfare, there was suddenly room for negotiation.
Dana White Promotes Tickets
October 7 — Hearn Gets Dana’s Number
Hearn revealed that he had finally been given White’s telephone number as the two sides explored direct talks.
For all the public arguments between the pair, much of their dispute had unfolded through interviews rather than direct communication.
Hearn indicated that he was prepared to find a solution if an agreement worked for Joshua, Matchroom and the other parties.
White’s response was considerably less conciliatory.
He maintained that everything he had said about his Fury vs Joshua involvement was accurate and suggested Hearn could sue if his contractual position was as strong as claimed.
White remains adamant that he will be in Cardiff, that he is producing the show and that he is promoting it.
On Wednesday, he backed up that position by using his own social media platform to promote ticket sales for Fury vs Joshua ahead of Friday’s general sale.
Perhaps the strangest part is that the two sides finally appear closer to finding a solution.
Hearn has moved from outright opposition to being prepared to discuss an agreement. White has never moved from his position that he is involved anyway.
After weeks of arguing about whether Dana White has a role in Fury vs Joshua, the pair may finally have to speak directly and decide exactly what that role is.
Until then, White appears happy to continue as if the argument has already been settled.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
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