Dana White now describes himself as one of the promoters of Anthony Joshua’s December 11 fight with Tyson Fury, saying that his team will produce the event that night.
White’s latest comments put him alongside Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren in his description of the operation, although his clearest commitment concerns production.
“I’m producing the fight. Me and my team will be producing the fight that night. And I guess we’ll call me one of the promoters of the event because you do have Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn that are both promoters too, promoting the event,” White told BBC 5 Live.
The heavyweight fight is scheduled for Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. White also credited Hearn with securing the UK location during his interview with Steve Bunce.
The wording deserves attention. “I guess we’ll call me” sounds like White describing how he sees his involvement rather than announcing a newly agreed contractual position. It leaves the formal promotional arrangements unresolved, but makes clear that he expects a substantial role when the fighters enter the ring.
White and Hearn’s continuing argument over their roles is becoming tiresome. Every interview spent discussing who gets to call himself a promoter is another opportunity lost to explain why Joshua-Fury is still worth watching in December.
The names are familiar, but that does not mean the fight sells itself. Many fans see Joshua and Fury as two former champions meeting years after the contest should have happened. The promotion needs to address that skepticism rather than assume their past achievements will be enough.
There is still a fight to sell: the rivalry, the contrasting styles and the consequences of defeat for both men. Fans want to know what Joshua and Fury have left and whether either can produce something better than their recent performances suggest.
White and Hearn arguing over credit gives those viewers little reason to get excited. They need to spend more time promoting the fighters and less time promoting their own involvement.