Eddie Hearn isn’t backing down from Dana White.
Earlier this year, Hearn and White got into a public spat after White signed longtime Matchroom Boxing fighter Conor Benn to Zuffa Boxing. That led to White challenging Hearn to a boxing match, which Hearn promptly accepted. White then suggested the whole idea was silly, and that he and Hearn were not a main event matchup, which Hearn thinks is dead wrong.
“This whole thing started because Dana White said, ‘Eddie wouldn’t box me. I’ll box Eddie. Yeah,
no problem.’ Now, I’m a p*ssy, and we’re bums, and it would go on at the start of the night,” Hearn told IFL TV. “No, it f*cking wouldn’t. It would go main event, on probably Netflix, and it would generate — it’s probably the biggest fight out there right now, other than [Anthony Joshua] against [Tyson] Fury. Numbers-wise. …
“Minimum [1 million buys]. Easy. Easy.“
While White has downplayed the matchup, the UFC CEO also acknowledges that several offers for the fight have been made, including from business partner Turki Alalshikh. And, doing some quick math, Hearn revealed what he believes the two could generate from a fight.
“You put 50/50 in a pot — I know they’re not used to this model, but we’ll split the revenue with the fighters, me and him. 50/50,” Hearn said. “A broadcaster wants to come in; they can take 10 or 15 percent of the pay-per-view. Eat what you kill. We’ll make … 30 million each for the fight. I’m in.”
Ultimately, Hearn does not anticipate the fight actually taking place, which may be for the best.
Hearn is 46 years old, and White is 56 years old, and neither has a long history of combat sports participation. However, Hearn just wants it to be known that while White continues to talk trash about him, he’s ready to settle this the old-fashioned way.
“It takes two to tango,” Hearn said. “… I’m telling you, he called me out for a fight, and I’m telling you, I will fight him. Put some respect on my name. …
“All jokes aside, I don’t like the way he keeps calling me a p*ssy, because I would, I’d fight him. So, we can find out who’s the bigger p*ssy.”
