With Joshua-Fury announcement close, Eddie Hearn has message for Dana White

Eddie Hearn has taken a fresh swipe at Dana White with the showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury – which feels like it’s been in the making since the dawn of time – on course to formally be confirmed for December, likely the Friday the 11^th, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Since the summer it looked like the bout would occur in New York, with Madison Square Garden and November 20 the venue and date of choice for chief financier Turki Alalshikh, broadcaster Netflix, and apparent dealmaker White.

Their reasoning was simple: It would be seen by a greater global audience and thus command more cash.

Joshua’s contract, however, stipulated that the contest must take place in the UK and, alongside promoter Hearn, he stood firm on that crucial detail. “That is why, unfortunately for these people, the fight will not be taking place in America, because Anthony Joshua is not a sell-out,” Hearn told IFLTV.

The promoter admitted it would have been easier, and more profitable, to simply submit to demands to stage the fight in America.

“Anthony Joshua could have taken many millions more to do the fight in America,” he said.

White has been critical of Hearn, suggesting he’s both hurting the fight and his fighter by refusing to budge from the original terms on the contract.

Hearn, who would stand to earn more himself if Joshua earned more, has always made clear he’s been acting on behalf of the heavyweight he’s promoted since Joshua turned professional in 2013.

Attempts to get the fight to Wembley Stadium in London reached a standstill due to the venue’s 11pm curfew. Though Alalshikh and Netflix were willing to bend on the location, the start-time still had to be in keeping with prime time in the US. That means the contest starting no earlier than 2am in the UK.

The Principality, however, has staged events in the early hours before. The red tape, therefore, could be negotiated for such a big event.

“We want the fight in Britain,” Hearn continued. “The support that we've had on social media has made us double down on our principles on this. We're not trying to hurt the fight.

“We’ve never done anything else and what he [White] can’t get his head around is that Anthony Joshua won’t take a little bit more money to do the fight in America, because he cares.

“He cares where the fight is. He cares about British boxing, and he cares about the contract that he signed.

“And Dana White thinks you can throw a little bit of money at someone and they’ll dance to your fucking tune. Well, guess what? Not on AJ’s watch.”