The Matchroom promoter believes that approach prevents reporters from pressing White on tougher topics related to the business side of combat sports.
“I’m listening to these guys asking questions, and nobody’s pushing him,” Hearn said. “Nobody’s really asking any serious questions. Nobody’s really asking any proper questions. It’s a big machine that you can’t actually get close to and ask the right questions.”
Hearn suggested that reporters covering White should challenge him on issues such as fighter pay and how revenue is distributed within the UFC.
“When I’m in the media, I ask a question: if Tom Aspinall drives more income to the pot than Conor Benn, why does he make 10 times less money?” Hearn said. “Can you answer that?”
The comparison between Aspinall and Benn highlights one of the arguments Hearn has repeatedly made when discussing the financial differences between boxing and mixed martial arts. In boxing, fighters usually negotiate individual purses tied to events, television rights and commercial deals. The UFC, by contrast, operates under long-term promotional contracts that determine fighter compensation.
Hearn’s comments come during a period of increasing friction between the British promoter and White following the launch of Zuffa Boxing. The new venture, backed by TKO Group Holdings and Saudi investment, is expected to stage its first major events later this year as White expands beyond MMA.
White has already publicly dismissed Hearn, describing him as just another manager entering the MMA space. Hearn, meanwhile, questioned the early direction of the project and the quality of the events produced so far.
The exchange quickly turned into one of the fiercest rivalries surrounding the push to build a new boxing league.
Hearn’s criticism of interview restrictions also touches on a broader issue within combat sports media: how closely reporters can challenge promoters and managers when access to fighters and events often depends on maintaining working relationships. In Hearn’s opinion, those questions still need to be asked.
