Imago
Credits: IMAGO
Imago
Credits: IMAGO
Eddie Hearn has never been afraid to speak his mind, but his latest tale about Dana White and Anthony Joshua adds to the continuing feud between the two promoters. Speaking on the Cigar Talk podcast, Hearn revealed that the UFC CEO once approached Joshua directly—without any prior discussion—sparking confusion on his end when the story first surfaced in the media.
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“About two contracts ago, the media ran a story: AJ (Anthony Joshua) in talks with Dana White,” Eddie Hearn said. “And I’m like, ‘The f—?” So it’s in the paper, right? So I go and see AJ, and we’ve got a media thing.
“And I went, ‘ Yo, what the f—?’ And he’s like, “yeah, he called me out of the blue.”
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According to Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua didn’t give the idea any thought for long. Instead, he made his position clear almost immediately.
“And he went, ‘I told him straight away, I said, ‘I’m with Eddie,'” Hearn continued. “He said, ‘but we had a good chat; like, we talked for like half an hour,’ because AJ likes to listen and stuff.”
Eddie Hearn EXPOSES Dana White as a snake who tried to STEAL Anthony Joshua from under his nose 🐍, only to be told by AJ that Eddie is his guy and he ain’t leaving him despite Dana 30 minutes convo in the phone, AJ loyalty has been rewarded as he’s now a shareholder@NajiChill pic.twitter.com/eJemlHoFSH
— Boxing Massacre (@BoxingMassacre) April 13, 2026
But the moment didn’t end there. Months later, Hearn came face-to-face with Dana White and addressed the issue directly during the meeting.
“I went to Dana’s office, and we had a meeting,” the boxing promoter said. “And I said, ‘I hear you spoke to AJ.’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ And you know something, he said to me? Within the first five seconds: ‘Just to let you know, I’m not leaving Eddie. He’s my guy, but let’s talk.'”
“He goes, ‘and I respect that.’ I was like, ‘oh wow, right.'”
The situation illustrates how tight Anthony Joshua and Hearn’s relationship is—something that extends beyond contracts. Joshua reportedly received many offers throughout the years, including deals that promised more money in the short term.
But, according to Eddie Hearn, none of them ever really tempted him. That loyalty, the boxing promoter admits, is unusual in a sport like boxing.
“There are a few fighters, probably a handful of fighters, that I feel the same way about, like AJ,” he added. “In an empty room with one or two people, they’d have your back in a conversation.
“And in life, there ain’t a lot of people like that, especially in a game like boxing.”
The bond has since gone beyond the boxer and promoter. Hearn added that Joshua is now a shareholder in his company, displaying both trust and long-term alignment between the two. At a time when fighters are increasingly exploring cross-promotional opportunities—especially with ventures like Zuffa Boxing trying to enter the space—this episode stands out.
Not because of the approach by Dana White, but because of how quickly it was shut down. Even though he rejected the offer, free agent Conor Benn signed a one-fight contract with the UFC CEO after his Matchroom contract expired.
By ending a 10-year relationship with Matchroom after he accepted Zuffa’s offer, he started a war that now has the two promoters going all out on each other. In fact, Dana White recently delivered an x-rated rant as he confirmed offers for a grudge fight against Eddie Hearn.
Dana White reveals several offers for Eddie Hearn fight
That tension didn’t just stay limited to contracts; it swiftly became personal. With Conor Benn’s move serving as a catalyst, the back-and-forth between Dana White and Eddie Hearn has escalated into open shots, with both sides now fully invested in the rivalry.
Speaking after UFC 327, the UFC CEO even admitted that the idea of the two fighting is more than just talk. According to him, offers have already been made, with major boxing figures exploring the possibility.
“You don’t think Turki Alalshikh would try to do that fight? Of course he did,” he said. “People are throwing around offers everywhere.”
However, Dana White definitely wasn’t a fan of Eddie Hearn’s skills or the matchup altogether.
“Eddie Hearn’s a p—-,” he continued. “Eddie Hearn ain’t boxing anybody, f—— posting pictures of himself hitting the speed bag, it looks like it’s in slow motion.
“And let me tell you what, if that did happen, me and Eddie Hearn are bums, that would be the first fight of the night, these guys are talking like we’re gonna headline a card.”
His tone made it clear how he saw it. Dana White saw the idea as more spectacle than sport but didn’t deny the interest around it. And in the current climate, it is enough—because when promoters begin talking about fighting each other, it shows just how far this rivalry has gone.
