UFC CEO Dana White was back at home in Las Vegas, but his presence still loomed large at the first Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua press conference on Wednesday.
The highly anticipated boxing match was made official just days ago but questions about White’s participation in the event have continued to persist. Joshua’s longtime manager and promoter Eddie Hearn stated repeatedly that no deal for the fight would get done if White was actually involved with the event.
On Tuesday night at The Contender Series
in Las Vegas, White confirmed he wouldn’t be attending the press conference but Turki Alalshikh — the money man behind the fight — mentioned the UFC CEO’s name, the London crowd unleashed a chorus of boos.
“A big thanks to my brother, who is suddenly not here today, Dana White,” Alalshikh said during the press conference. “I want only one small advice, to Eddie [Hearn], don’t watch ‘Braveheart’ a lot, huh?”
For his part, Hearn was smiling from ear to ear when White’s name drew such a vocal reaction from the crowd.
Alalshikh also thanked TKO Group Holdings and Zuffa Boxing amd WWE executive Nick Khan, who actually was in attendance for the press conference.
The war of words between White and Hearn has lasted for months and for a time it appeared the friction between them could potentially ruin the fight between Fury and Joshua from actually happening.
But now the fight is official for Dec. 11 in Cardiff, and it remains to be seen if White plays any part in the event itself, which airs exclusively on Netflix.
