Dana White says he’ll miss Fury–Joshua launch — but insists he’s involved

Dana White says his Contender Series commitments will keep him away from Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s September 30 press conference in London, according to remarks reported by MMA Fighting on September 30. But he insists he remains involved in promoting their December fight, despite Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn opposing that involvement.

“I would have been there if I didn’t have the Contender,” White told reporters after Tuesday’s show. On his involvement in the promotion, his message was equally direct: “There’s no confusion whatsoever.” His planned absence is therefore not confirmation that he has been removed from the event.

Why Dana White says he will miss the London launch

MMA Fighting reports that White was asked about attending the launch after the September 29 edition of Contender Series. He said he would not attend, pointing to that commitment as his explanation. The report nevertheless described his exact role in the Fury–Joshua promotion as unclear.

The London press conference is scheduled for September 30 at 6pm BST, or 17:00 UTC. The Independent identifies the venue as the British Airways Arc at Olympia and reported on September 29 that both fighters had arrived in London. Those are launch plans; they do not establish who ultimately attends or what is said on stage.

What Eddie Hearn disputes about White’s role

Netflix’s September 29 announcement says Turki Alalshikh’s The Ring and White will collaborate to promote the fight. It does not set out White’s responsibilities or publish the contractual terms behind that arrangement.

Hearn has publicly challenged that description. BBC Sport reporting reproduced by Get on Sports quotes him telling IFL TV: “Dana White cannot be involved with this fight promotion.” Hearn presented his objection as contractual. The Independent also reports his opposition to White being part of proceedings.

Responding to the broadcaster’s announcement, Hearn said: “Netflix clearly didn’t get the memo. No-one talks to each other,” according to the BBC-origin report. That establishes his disagreement with Netflix’s account; it does not establish that a contractual breach has occurred.

There is a competing account of White’s contribution, too. The same BBC-origin reporting says Fury’s promoter Frank Warren credited White with helping secure the Netflix deal. No published contract in these accounts resolves how that contribution relates to the promotional role Hearn contests.

What White and Fury have said about the dispute

White characterised the difficulties as a “Total ego thing,” MMA Fighting reports. He also insisted: “It’s happening. It’s done.” Those are his assurances about the arrangement, rather than independently verified confirmation that all parties have accepted the same terms.

The rivalry extends beyond this fight. MMA Fighting links the increasingly bitter exchanges between White and Hearn to White’s move into boxing with Zuffa Boxing and the signing of Hearn’s longtime fighter Conor Benn earlier in 2026.

Fury has also publicly blamed Hearn. In Instagram videos reported by The Independent, he accused Joshua and Hearn of trying to pull out and called Joshua a “yellow-bellied coward”. In another video, Fury said the problem was that Hearn “doesn’t want someone in the building”.

Those accusations are Fury’s account of the disagreement. The Independent’s report does not establish that Joshua withdrew. Its September 29 update instead describes preparations for the London launch proceeding after doubts over the weekend, while acknowledging continuing uncertainty around the promoters.

Is Fury vs Joshua still scheduled for Cardiff?

The announced fight remains scheduled for Friday, December 11, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Netflix says it will stream the bout globally to members without an additional charge. That is the advertised arrangement, not a guarantee that every outstanding dispute has been resolved.

Fury and Joshua have never fought professionally, according to Netflix. Its announcement lists Fury’s record as 36 wins, two losses and one draw, including 25 knockouts, and Joshua’s as 30 wins and four losses, including 27 knockouts.

There is a relevant history of failed arrangements. BBC-origin reporting reproduced by Get on Sports says contracts were signed for an undisputed heavyweight fight in 2021 before Deontay Wilder’s successful arbitration forced Fury into a third Wilder bout. That earlier breakdown provides context for the long wait; it does not determine what happens this December.

Where to watch the launch and what remains unknown

Netflix lists launch streams on its YouTube channel, Netflix Sports accounts on TikTok and X, and selected Alalshikh and The Ring channels. The advertised 6pm BST time concerns the September 30 press conference, not the December fight or ringwalk.

Netflix says undercard fighters will be announced later, with the full card and fight start time still to come. White’s precise responsibilities also remain undefined in the published accounts. His stated reason for missing the launch answers the attendance question from his perspective; it leaves the disagreement over his promotional role unresolved.