Eddie Hearn Threatens To Sue Dana White Over Joshua Vs Fury Fight Venue Deal

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has threatened legal action against Zuffa Boxing boss Dana White over his involvement in the proposed Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury fight.

Eddie Hearn accused White of claiming authority to stage the heavyweight showdown and alleged that he used Joshua to negotiate a venue deal despite having no rights to do so.

The latest dispute has intensified the long-running feud between the two promoters.

The row comes as Joshua and Fury close in on their long-awaited fight, although neither side has confirmed a date or venue.

Reports have linked the bout with Madison Square Garden in New York on November 20, with Netflix reportedly favouring a United States venue.

Speaking to About Boxing, Hearn questioned White’s authority to negotiate a venue deal involving Joshua.

“Actually, I should be suing Dana White, because what he’s doing is, he’s actually purporting to have the ability to stage the fight there, and he’s using my client to do a venue deal that he has no rights to,” Hearn said.

Hearn also disclosed that TKO had approached him about becoming involved in the event. He said he would only consider the proposal if it offered clear benefits to Joshua, Matchroom and his fighters.

“The reality is, now, TKO are coming on, asking me if they can be involved. So Dana White’s gone from being the promoter of the event to asking if he can be involved. Why should I let you be involved in this event? Tell me how it benefits Anthony Joshua. Tell me how it benefits Matchroom. Tell me how it benefits my fighters,” he said.

Hearn confirmed that Joshua’s camp had signed the agreement for the fight, but said Fury’s team wanted changes to the contract.

He added that both sides were discussing terms that could allow the bout to take place in America.

“To be honest, all I can really tell you is we’ve signed for the fight. Obviously, they want to change the contract that we signed, which we don’t like to do. But we also understand that these guys are our partners, and it seems like everybody is adamant that the fight takes place in New York,” Hearn said.

“Tyson Fury has agreed to do the fight in America, and we haven’t at the moment. So, we’re talking through a roadmap of what that might look like to change the deal. And if they do all the things that we’ve discussed and agreed in principle, then I think there is a very good chance that the fight will happen in America.”

White has dismissed Hearn’s accusations and hit back at the Matchroom promoter. Speaking after the latest Contender Series event, White said he had stopped paying attention to Hearn’s comments.

“I have not. I stopped listening to Eddie Hearn about three months ago. Is there anybody more full of shit than this guy? Come on. Full of shit,” White said.

The latest exchange follows White’s comments after UFC 330, when he said his role in the Joshua-Fury negotiations had focused on television and venue arrangements.

He also questioned whether Joshua and Fury remained fully committed to the fight and argued that the bout should have happened 10 years ago.

Naija News reports that Joshua and Fury signed contracts to fight earlier this year, but the promoters have yet to confirm a date or venue.

Hearn and Joshua still favour a British venue, while Netflix reportedly wants the fight to take place in New York on November 20.