Dana White has again said he is promoting the Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury fight later this year, with promoters representing both heavyweight fighters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn denying that claim based on their signed contracts. The exchange resurfaced at the Zuffa Boxing 07 post-fight press conference in Bournemouth on Saturday, June 6, 2026, during which White was directly asked if he was promoting the fight.

What Dana White said

White first made this claim during a livestream earlier this year. “This is the busiest year of my career. I will be traveling everywhere. This year I am focusing on hardcore Zuffa Boxing,” he said. “I’m also doing the Tyson Fury fight, AJ. I’ll be promoting it.”

When pressed on the matter at Bournemouth, White did not address the contractual issues and instead pointed to Hearn. “Do you think I would lie in public and make myself look like an idiot in front of everyone? Do you believe I would do that? What would be the point?” – said White. “Call Eddie now and ask him if he knows where the fight is. Call Eddie and ask who negotiated the contract for the fight. ” He also said the location was set and let him know he knew it.

What Frank Warren said

Warren, founder of Queensberry Promotions, which promotes Fury, disputed White’s account when asked about it. “Well, no,” Warren told Fight Hub TV on whether White would promote the fight. “Tyson’s contract says Zuffa won’t be able to promote this fight. I don’t know why Dana White said that would be the case. That’s bulls***.”

What Eddie Hearn said

Hearn, the chairman of Matchroom promoting Joshua, was the first to respond on social media. “Such an influence hunter. No chance and it’s impossible in the contract. Let me know when you find the balls,” he wrote.

He later presented the contractual position in more detail. “The reality is that a contract is a contract. The fight won’t happen if they are involved in promoting the show,” Hearn told iFL TV. “It clearly says that if Zuffa, TKO. It clearly mentions them and no one associated with that company can have any involvement, promotional involvement in the program. Tyson Fury’s contract says exactly the same and has been signed.”

Hearn also named the parties he believes will host the event. “Who will be promoting this show is Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren, Spencer Brown and Turki. We were all hesitant. We will all work on it,” he said. “It’s not that substantial of a deal that there will be some guest promoter because contractually it can’t work like that.”

Alalshikh factor

Competing accounts involve Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, who is financing and directing the fight. Hearn said the decision on where the competition would take place rested with Alalshikh, who played a key role in the biggest recent sporting events of the season in Riyad and owned Ring magazine.

White is the closest promoter to Alalshikh. He runs Zuffa Boxing as the main promoter, and the venture is being financed by Alalshikh through Riyadh Season and Sela, a Saudi company that works with TKO Group Holdings on promotions. White previously fought Canelo Alvarez against Terence Crawford in 2025, another event at Alalshikh, ahead of Zuffa Boxing’s formal launch.

Warren, on the other hand, fell out with Alalshikh, Sela, Ring Magazine and TKO and in February filed a $1 billion lawsuit against TKO and Sela over the creation of Zuffa Boxing, claiming he should have been part of it. He continued to work with Alalshikh, including the fight against the Fury. Joshua is scheduled to face Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on July 25, with Fury also expected to fight an interim fight before the two fighters meet. That the fight is scheduled for November and Netflix will broadcast it.

“We work with every promoter,” De La Hoya told Fighthype. “Even if it’s Dana White and Zuffa, as much as I hate it, let’s go. Why not? Because the fighters want this fight.

“Ryan wants this fight. He wants to fight Conor Benn. Well, yes. Hey, let’s do it. That’s what boxing is all about. You have to work with the promoters to make these fights happen.

“So I’m not going to get in the way of that. If that’s what Ryan wants, that’s what he’s going to get. It’s a matter of detail. It’s about making sure all parties are ecstatic.”

Ryan remains under contract with Golden Boy Promotions, meaning De La Hoya’s involvement will be required to reach an agreement. Meanwhile, Benn became one of the first faces associated with Zuffa’s planned entry into boxing.

While De La Hoya has been openly critical of Dana White’s boxing ambitions in the past, he admitted that discussions between both sides will eventually become inevitable if the fight progresses.

“Absolutely,” De La Hoya replied when asked whether talks would eventually be necessary with White’s team. “At the end of the day, there has to be a conversation, and whether they like it or not, we might be on stage together a few feet away.

“Who knows what might happen? Maybe the press conference will be more stimulating than the fight itself because me and Dana White will be in it. Who knows? But I’m ready. You know me.”

The potential fight would mark one of the biggest fights available in the welterweight division and another example of rival promoters working together to deliver major events. For De La Hoya, personal differences seem secondary if they mean giving Garcia the opportunity he was looking for.

De La Hoya insists the focus must be on making the fight itself happen, regardless of who is involved behind the scenes.

Manny Pacquiao is the only boxer to win a world title in four different decades, and the Filipino fan favorite could reach fifth if he succeeds. His former rival, Marco Antonio Barrera, believes he will succeed.

Pacquiao returned to the ring in July 2025 in an attempt to break his own record as the oldest welterweight world champion by defeating then-WBC world champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas, but only managed a draw.

The legendary southpaw will next face his venerable foe Floyd Mayweather in a rematch, 11 years after their money-making meeting in 2015, as he tries to put the biggest regret of his 73-fight professional career behind him.

The veteran fighter said he will remain in the sport once the fight is over and pursue his goal of regaining his world title, hoping for a shot at the 147-pound world title in 2027.

I’m talking to Boxing King’s MediaBarrera – who has lost twice to Pacquiao – said he still has the ability to dethrone WBA champion Rolando Romero, with whom he negotiated earlier this year.

“He wants to fight for the title at the age of 47!”

“We can do this [beat Rolando Romero]”

‘Rolly’ was ordered to defend his belt in a difficult fight against Chorley-born Jack Catterall, However, recent reports suggest he will first fight in a lower-risk competition in August before facing the Briton. He claimed that the Pacquiao fight didn’t happen because “PacMan” demanded too much money.