Dana White confirms Fury vs. Joshua role but skips London press conference over 'total ego' row

Dana White declared on Tuesday night that Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua is a “done deal” and that his involvement in the December superfight is settled, even as he confirmed he would not attend the fight’s opening press conference in London on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after the latest edition of Contender Series, White pushed back firmly against any suggestion that the promotion remains in doubt. “There’s no confusion whatsoever,” he said. “It’s happening. It’s done. Everything that I’ve been saying is the truth. Why would I say it and double down, and triple down, and f*cking quadruple down if it wasn’t the case?”

The remarks come after weeks of increasingly public friction between White and Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn over whether the UFC CEO would have any formal role in the fight. White and Saudi fight financier Turki Alalshikh have pushed for his inclusion; Hearn has consistently refused. The standoff has repeatedly threatened to derail the bout entirely, with White having claimed resolution before, only for Hearn to contradict him shortly after.

White attributed the prolonged impasse not to any contractual or logistical obstacle but to personal pride. “This isn’t a hesitation, this is an ego thing,” he said. “Total ego thing. It has nothing to do with any of this shit. And listen, boxing has taken a hit in the United States. It has become a very British sport, and all the shit that you’re hearing, the crying, and the bitching, and whatever the f*ck, is coming from the U.K.”

The bad blood between White and Hearn stretches back to early 2026, when White launched Zuffa Boxing and quickly signed Conor Benn, a long-time Hearn fighter. The two promoters have traded barbs through the media ever since, with White at one point suggesting they settle their differences in the ring. Despite the acrimony, White said he is enjoying the confrontation. “This is right up my alley,” he told reporters.

Exactly what White’s promotional role in Fury-Joshua will look like remains undefined. His absence from Wednesday’s London press conference — which he attributed to his commitments stateside for Contender Series — means that question is unlikely to be answered publicly before the event itself.