Dana White, the founder of the UFC and the new Zuffa Boxing promotion, recently told Sky Sports that he personally arranged the location for the much‑anticipated heavyweight bout between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. According to White, his company TKO – which now controls UFC, WWE and Zuffa Boxing – negotiated the television rights and the venue contract, giving him insider knowledge of exactly where the fight will be staged. "We are the ones who closed the venue deal," White said. "I handled the negotiations, so I know the site.
TKO took care of the broadcast agreements and everything else surrounding the event." The speculation surrounding the fight’s setting has been intense. Some analysts have suggested that the match could be held in the United States, while Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has repeatedly argued that the showdown belongs in the United Kingdom.
Hearn has said, "I strongly believe this fight should happen on home soil for Anthony, and we will do everything we can to make that a reality." White, however, cut through the debate with a blunt assessment: "At the end of the day, you go where the money is." He added that the financial incentives are driving the final decision, not national pride or fan sentiment. The Fury‑Joshua rivalry has been simmering for almost ten years. Both men have dominated the heavyweight division at different times, yet a direct clash has remained elusive. The two have exchanged barbs, and promoters on both sides have floated potential dates and locations, but nothing has solidified until now.
White described the entire process as a "mess," emphasizing how chaotic the boxing world can be when egos and financial interests collide. "It’s unbelievable how tangled this has become," he said.
"The sport has been messed up for years, and this situation is a perfect example of why.” He went on to explain that the Saudis are reportedly financing the fight, which adds another layer of complexity. "The Saudis are putting a lot of money behind this event, and they expect a huge return," White noted. "From my short time in boxing – just six months – I’ve seen that promoters’ egos often outweigh the actual sport.
They’re more concerned with their own status than delivering the fights fans want.” White didn’t hold back when he criticized the promoter class, calling many of them "the weakest people I’ve ever met in the fight game." He argued that their personal ambitions have historically hampered the sport’s growth, creating a landscape where lucrative deals are pursued at the expense of genuine competition. Sky Sports has reached out to Matchroom and Queensberry, the promotional firms representing Joshua and Fury respectively, for comment on White’s statements. White’s connection to both fighters goes back years.
He previously hosted a UFC event at the White House where Fury was a guest, and he has followed Joshua’s career since his victory over Wladimir Klitschko. "When Anthony beat Klitschko, I thought that was exactly what boxing needed – a charismatic, good‑looking heavyweight champion who could speak to the public," White recalled. He also recounted his early impressions of Fury, describing the British boxer’s resilience after his loss to Deontay Wilder.
"Tyson was down, but he got back up like a zombie and finished the fight. He’s a fascinating character and one of the best heavyweights ever," White said. In addition to the Fury‑Joshua narrative, White highlighted other upcoming boxing events, such as the IBF world middleweight title fight between Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from Dublin. He encouraged fans to use Chrome for the best video experience and reminded them that streaming options are available without long‑term contracts.
Overall, White’s remarks paint a picture of a sport at a crossroads: massive financial backing, high‑profile athletes, and a tangled web of promoter politics. While the exact venue remains undisclosed, his confidence that the deal is sealed suggests that the Fury‑Joshua showdown will soon move from rumor to reality, likely in a location that maximizes revenue for all parties involved.