“Well, he’s not because the contract with Tyson says that Zuffa won’t be able to promote that fight,” Warren said when asked if Dana White would promote Fury-Joshua.
Warren also dismissed the idea that White was attached to the event.
“I don’t know, ask him,” Warren said. “I mean, it’s just (bleep).”
White later responded with a smile when asked about Warren’s comments.
“Where will the fight take place? I’m going to leave this one alone,” White said last Saturday night.
“Apparently I’m not the promoter for that fight, according to some guys. Then he must be right.”
The exchange has created even more uncertainty for a fight that still has no official date, venue or formal announcement despite ongoing discussions through 2026.
The disagreement also highlights the unclear role Zuffa Boxing may eventually play in Saudi-backed boxing events. White recently played a visible role in the promotion of Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford, which led many fans to believe that Fury-Joshua would also fall under the Zuffa banner.
Warren’s comments suggest Fury’s existing promotional deals may prevent that from happening. Even with Saudi money expected to finance the fight, questions remain over who controls the promotional, branding and broadcasting side of what would become one of the biggest heavyweight events in British boxing history.
Many fans also picked up on Dana White’s expression when he asked the question about Fury vs. Joshua answered. White smiled the entire time he responded to Warren’s comments, and it didn’t come across as someone who believed he had been pushed out of the fight.
“Apparently I’m not the promoter for that fight, according to some guys. Then he should be right,” White said with a smile.
The response immediately fueled speculation online as White had already become closely linked to the boxing events of the Riyadh season through Zuffa Boxing. Even though Warren insists Fury’s contract prevents Zuffa from promoting the Joshua fight, White appeared unusually relaxed for someone who has supposedly been ruled out of one of boxing’s biggest events.
In boxing politics, that kind of reaction often means someone believes the negotiations are still alive behind the scenes.
Saudi money has already changed how big fights are put together, and White probably understands that once the financial stakes get big enough, existing promotional deals can suddenly become flexible. He didn’t sound frustrated or defensive. He sounded amused.
If Zuffa Boxing somehow becomes attached to Fury-Joshua despite Warren’s comments, it will instantly become the biggest breakthrough yet for Dana White’s move into boxing promotion.
