Forty-eight hours before Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are scheduled to share a London stage on September 30 to launch their December 11 clash at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the promotional architecture behind Britain’s largest heavyweight spectacle has erupted into open legal and verbal warfare.
The catalyst is the official involvement of UFC president Dana White and Zuffa Boxing in promotional statements distributed for the card, which will stream worldwide on Netflix at no extra charge for subscribers. In a fiery IFL TV interview, Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn insists that Joshua’s signed contract explicitly bars White, Zuffa Boxing, TKO, or affiliated entities from taking any promotional role. Hearn’s firm stance drew a blistering response from Fury on FurociTV, where the former heavyweight champion accused Hearn of attempting to derail an event funded by Turki Alalshikh and Netflix.
The Contractual Showdown Ahead of London’s Launch
Hearn’s refusal to cede promotional jurisdiction stems from language he claims was finalized during negotiations that secured Cardiff over American venues such as Madison Square Garden. According to Hearn, Joshua—who holds an equity stake in Matchroom—signed contracts that specifically disqualify White and his promotional arms from claiming credit or operational control over the event.
We stand by our contract. He cannot be involved in the fight. There’s a contract that says that,
Eddie Hearn stated on IFL TV. The f**kery involved in this fight… even Netflix put out a press release saying, ‘The fight will be in conjunction with Dana White.’ There’s loads of battles to come on that because that ain’t happening either.
Hearn confirmed he plans to take the dispute directly to Netflix executives ahead of the London launch presser. His position echoes a warning issued in June, when the promoter declared the entire show would be cancelled if Zuffa or TKO received official promotional status. While Fury’s long-time promoter Frank Warren has also questioned White’s promoter-of-record status, Hearn made clear that Matchroom will not permit White to piggyback on an all-British heavyweight fixture.
blockquote>I’ll be speaking to Netflix to remind them of their contractual obligations and it’ll be dealt with like we dealt with the other situation,
Hearn added. These people make it very, very difficult for themselves. We’re supposed to have a presser next week – now, we have stuff to sort out.
Alalshikh’s Capital and Fury’s Frustration
Fury views Hearn’s contractual hard line as an exercise in empty posturing. Speaking to FurociTV, Fury asserted that Matchroom lacks the financial leverage to dictate promotional terms, arguing that Turki Alalshikh and Netflix are the true financial engines driving the December 11 card.
blockquote>How ridiculous does that sound?
Tyson Fury said on FurociTV. A promoter who is actually not the promoter of the fight, nor can he be the promoter of the fight ever. He cannot be the promoter of this fight, Eddie Hearn. Categorically, Eddie Hearn and Matchroom are not the promoter of this fight. No way. They're just not. Contractually, they're not allowed to be the promoter. Okay. So, now you've got a spoiled little posh boy chucking his dummies out the pram because Dana White's involved.
Fury stressed that he had accommodated every request made by Joshua's camp throughout a long, complex negotiation history—one that previously hit roadblocks when a U.S. arbitrator ruled Fury was contractually obligated to face Deontay Wilder a third time, forcing Joshua to explore Oleksandr Usyk as a backup option. Fury noted he remains willing to make extreme concessions simply to ensure the fight happens.
blockquote>I've been moving the goalpost all the time,
Fury said. There's nothing that I haven't agreed to. Nothing. I'll even tie concrete blocks to my boots to make this fight happen. There's nothing that I wouldn't do to make this fight happen.
In Fury's view, Hearn's objections ignore the financial reality of modern heavyweight boxing. Listen, the thing is here, if Eddie wanted to promote this fight and do it on his terms and do it wherever he wanted or whatever time he wanted and whoever, then he should have put up the money,
Fury explained. But because he doesn't have the money to do it, then I know a man who does: Turki Alalshikh. So, he's put the money up for this fight along with my broadcasting network and Netflix. Without them, this fight doesn't happen.
A Clash of Territories: Madison Square Garden to Cardiff
Beyond the paperwork, Hearn’s anger at White reflects a deeper turf conflict over geography and authority. Hearn accused White of attempting to hijack the show and steer it to Madison Square Garden in New York, depriving British fight fans of the country's most significant domestic heavyweight event.
blockquote>You really got them to include your name in the press release? You silly soppy t*t,
Hearn remarked toward White. He’s so petty. You’ve lost, mate. You’ve lost. You did everything you can to bring the fight to America and rob the British fight fans of the fight. Give it up, son. You said it was at MSG, you’ve lost there and you’ll lose here as well.
Hearn also jabbed at White’s upcoming Zuffa Boxing card scheduled for London’s Copper Box Arena, mocking White for making an appearance despite not knowing the fighters on the bill. While venue details for December 11 in Cardiff are locked in, secondary operational elements—including main-event ringwalk timing, promotional press release formatting, and undercard match-ups—remain points of intense friction ahead of the fighters' joint appearance in London.
Sources
These sources formed the evidence pack for this article. Links open the original publisher; inclusion does not imply endorsement.
- lowkickmma.com original
- foxnews.com original
- sports.yahoo.com original
- yardbarker.com original
