EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMatchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn fired back at UFC CEO Dana White on Thursday, calling him "absolutely clueless" and vehemently denying White's recent claim that he will be the lead promoter for the highly anticipated showdown between heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.White, who also is the founder of Zuffa Boxing, made the claim at a news conference Saturday, saying that Hearn has no hand in negotiating the contracts for the Joshua-Fury bout. White went on to say that he knows where the fight will take place even though no announcement has been made."Call Eddie right now and ask him where the fight is," White said at the news conference. "Call Eddie and ask who negotiated the contract for the fight. It wasn't him."Hearn, who promotes Joshua, told ESPN on Thursday that White's claims were bizarre and reeked of desperation. The two have publicly feuded since White launched Zuffa Boxing earlier this year."His boxing business is so dead that he's trying to find a way to be relevant and part of the biggest fight in boxing, which is Joshua vs. Fury," Hearn told ESPN. "I negotiated the fight contract three months with SELA and Turki Alalshikh. Dana White has no clue what is in that contract. No. 1, Dana White, TKO, Zuffa can have no promotional involvement in that show at all. He also doesn't know about the other clause that was put in the contract that says Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury must take place in the UK."Though no date or venue have been announced for the Joshua-Fury fight, Hearn told ESPN that it would take place in November at a venue in the United Kingdom, most likely Wembley Stadium, as long as both fighters get past their next opponents. Joshua faces Kristian Prenga on July 25 and Fury is reportedly taking an interim fight later this summer.This is the latest instance of Hearn and White bickering in the media. Their war of words escalated earlier this year when Zuffa Boxing signed British boxer Conor Benn, whom Hearn had promoted since his pro boxing debut. Speculation that Zuffa Boxing was actively pursuing a Benn vs. Ryan Garcia bout for September on Paramount+ hit a major roadblock earlier this week, when Golden Boy Promotions, Garcia's promoter, issued a cease-and-desist to Zuffa Boxing and TKO Group to put a stop to interference with their fighter.Hearn told ESPN that wasn't the only cease-and-desist White received. He said that DAZN, with whom Garcia has an exclusive contract, also recently sent a cease-and-desist to White "to tell him to stop interfering with Ryan.""It's really just more arrogance from Dana White and Zuffa Boxing, who are complete control freaks and have no regard for contracts," Hearn said.ESPN reached out to Zuffa Boxing for comment, but the promotion did not immediately respond.
