Eddie Hearn does not want to see Dana White anywhere near the Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury showdown. But Frank Warren seems to differ. For him, business comes first. If that requires a little compromise, then so be it. With the venue issue and the kick-off press conference behind them, AJ-Fury has nearly reached the finish line. Only one last obstacle – whether White is involved in the fight, now scheduled for December 11 – remains.

While Hearn has made his position clear publicly, Warren made his known during a recent interview with Playbook Boxing’s Spencer Oliver.

“If Tyson says, ‘I’ve got a contract that says it’s taking place in Ireland,’ right, which is what he had in Dublin because of the tax benefits that the promoters wanted, then he sticks with his contract,” Warren said. “But he said, ‘No, I want to make it work.'”

“In his contract, it says no TKO, no Dana… Once Dana’s involved with the Ring, helping, forget about that. Let’s get on. We just want to get the fight on. Get it on. So, we wiped our mouth of all of that. Tyson dug his heels in, and it wouldn’t happen.”

Warren’s comments center on the dispute, which involved the venue where the fight will be staged and who could officially promote and produce the event. For weeks, disagreement over the venue—whether the fight will be staged at Wembley Stadium in London or New York’s Madison Square Garden – dominated the headlines.

According to Warren, the issue was eventually settled, with Queensberry and SELA securing Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. London was unsuitable because Wembley’s restrictions would have forced the event to finish too early for the American television audiences.

The focus then shifted to the next issue: who would promote the fight?

Saudi boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh sought involvement from Dana White and Zuffa Boxing. Eddie Hearn, however, objected, saying Joshua’s agreement contains restrictions preventing White, Zuffa, and related TKO interests from serving as promoters.

Although the contracts themselves have not been made public, Hearn has repeatedly described these provisions. Joshua subsequently backed his promoter’s position and indicated he would support abandoning the contest rather than accepting arrangements that breached those restrictions.

White then publicly attacked Hearn, accusing him of obstructing the matchup and arguing that he was contributing to the project through his relationship with Alalshikh.

However, the British Boxing Board of Control’s official paperwork identified SELA, Matchroom Boxing, and Warren’s Queensberry Promotions as the licensed promoters for the fight. Zuffa was absent from the registered list.

The disagreement, meanwhile, expanded beyond promotion. White claimed his own production team would handle the Netflix presentation, naming members of his UFC production operation.

Hearn rejected that assertion, calling White “completely cooked” and maintaining that the contractual restrictions also cover production responsibilities. He said SELA had confirmed his interpretation in writing, although that correspondence has not been publicly shared.

For Frank Warren, the question of Dana White’s involvement does not matter. “It’s no problem for me. No problem for Tyson,” he said before adding, “You know, as long as the two guys are there on the night, that’s all we care about. I mean, all the stuff that’s going on around the periphery and all this, it is what it is. It’s not going to make any difference to the fight.”

To make his case, Warren also highlighted how it was White and Nick Khan, president of WWE and a TKO board member, who struck a deal with Netflix, which is now AJ vs. Fury’s official broadcaster. “So they have to be a part of it,” he said, insisting he does not have any “problem whatsoever.”

Arguing that boxing should welcome major broadcasters rather than create unnecessary obstacles, Warren had stressed that accommodating Netflix was important because the platform was investing heavily in the bout.

When Frank Warren wasn’t buying the Dana White idea

Before supporting White’s involvement, Warren, like Hearn, also seemed opposed to the idea of the UFC CEO participating in a fight between two British heavyweights.

“That’s not going to happen. Tyson’s contract is very clear; there’s no involvement in Zuffa Boxing….” he said back in May during an interview with iFL TV. Later in June, he responded with a “No, I don’t” when asked if he accepted White being the “front and center” of the event.

Early this year, a conflict developed between Warren and Zuffa. Queensberry reportedly sent “letters before action” to TKO and SELA, signaling a potential legal challenge over allegations that existing contractual arrangements had been undermined by their creation of Zuffa Boxing. The company was reportedly considering a claim for damages of up to $1 billion.

Warren’s usage of legal channels to defend his interests in boxing is not unprecedented. Earlier battles included his failed £2 million claim against Ricky Burns, a confrontation with BBBofC over David Haye vs. Derek Chisora, and a defamation case against Chris Eubank Jr., which was settled amicably in 2025, notably highlighting his confrontational approach.

Against that backdrop, Warren appears to have adopted a more pragmatic stance as the AJ-Fury fight progressed. His longstanding Saudi business ties also provide important context. Dana White subsequently praised Warren as “a real guy” for avoiding the public confrontation surrounding Hearn.

As Warren highlighted, staging Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury successfully requires balancing the interests of the fighters, broadcasters, and supporters.

While the wider dispute remains unresolved, Hearn is expected to meet White and Zuffa representatives in Los Angeles, leaving room for negotiations despite the continuing disagreement.