Dana White said he has finalized the venue for a long-awaited heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. White, the founder of Ultimate Fighting Championship and new promotion Zuffa Boxing, confirmed that his company arranged all agreements for the event.
"We're the ones that have done all the deals for this fight. I did the deal for the venue, that's why I know where the venue is. I did the deal. We at TKO did the deal for television and we did everything," White told Sky Sports. TKO owns UFC, WWE, and Zuffa Boxing.
Heavyweight rivals Joshua and Fury have been circling one another for almost a decade, though a fight between the pair has never taken place.
Venue Selection and UK Promoter Claims
Speculation has grown that the showdown could be held in the United States rather than Britain. However, White insisted financial returns will determine the site, saying, "At the end of the day, here's the truth, you're going to go where the money is."
Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Joshua at Matchroom, expressed a desire to keep the bout in Britain. "I really feel strongly that this is something that should happen in the UK and we'll do all we can," Hearn said. Hearn also claimed Joshua feels a responsibility to UK fight fans and stated the fight should be finalized by the end of August.
Sky Sports contacted Matchroom and Queensberry, the promoter for Fury, for comment regarding the fight negotiations.
Criticism of Boxing Promoters
White criticized how boxing fights are organized, pointing to promoter conflict as a major cause of delays. "It's just been such a [mess]. It's unbelievable what a [mess] this thing has been," White said.
White, who entered the boxing business six months ago, noted that funding for the event is secured. "It goes to show why boxing has been so [messed] up for so long. Look at this. It's definitely not about the money. The Saudis are paying for this fight. So they're making [a lot] of money. And what I've noticed is in the boxing business since I've been in it for a very short period of time, six months, the promoters' egos are actually more important than the fights themselves and giving the fight fans the fights they want to see," White said.
He added that promoter egos continue to obstruct major matchups. "It's all about ego with the promoters. It's fascinating. These guys are all really weak, some of the weakest people I've ever encountered in the fight game. It's fascinating," White said.
White on Joshua and Fury
White has known both boxers since before he launched Zuffa Boxing, and Fury recently attended White's UFC event at the White House. White recalled praising Joshua following his victory over Wladimir Klitschko.
"I've talked about Anthony Joshua after he beat (Wladimir) Klitschko and I was like that's what boxing needs, good looking, charismatic, good speaking heavyweight champion. So I've always really liked Anthony Joshua," White said.
White also described meeting Fury when the boxer was seeking opponents across combat sports. "There was a point in time where Tyson was stagnant and trying to get fights so he started talking [trash] about UFC fighters, trying to get a payday one way or another and that was around the time that I met him and I've always liked him," White said.
Highlighting Fury's resilience in his bout against Deontay Wilder, White added, "Tough as hell, when he was dropped by (Deontay) Wilder [and] he gets right back up like a zombie and finishes the fight. He's a fun guy to watch. He's one of the best ever."
Sky Sports Broadcast Details
Sky Sports features analysis of recent performances by Fury and Joshua by sports journalist John Dennen and colleagues. Analyst Andy Scott reviewed their latest fights to evaluate the potential matchup, while Johnny Nelson offered predictions on who will win following their recent victories.
Sky Sports also highlighted prospect Sam Hickey as a real showman. Live boxing coverage continues on Saturday with Zuffa Boxing 10 in Dublin, headlined by Aaron McKenna against Etinosa Oliha for the IBF world middleweight title.
