Eddie Hearn criticizes Turki Al-Sheikh’s ‘peace talks’ as the dispute with Dana White puts the Fury vs Joshua fight in jeopardy.
Eddie Hearn has spoken out about the idea of ‘peace talks’ between him and Dana White while they’re still in a bit of a battle. The British boxing promoter and the UFC boss have been at odds since Hearn announced his new Zuffa Boxing promotion last year.
The tension grew when White signed Connor Benn from Hearn in February. Things heated up even more when White said he wanted to be the main promoter for the exciting Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight. Hearn and fellow promoter Frank Warren weren’t happy about that, saying it’s not possible for Zuffa Boxing to be involved in the all-British match because of contracts.
Back in February, Warren even thought about legal action over Zuffa’s launch. White and Hearn have had clashes before. White once said he wanted to change the Muhammad Ali Act, which protects boxers and keeps the sport fair.
Turki Alalshikh, who helped start Zuffa Boxing, suggested they all meet for some ‘peace talks’ to see if they can find a way to get along. Those talks are planned for next week, and while Hearn is okay with meeting, he’s clear he’s not looking for peace just yet.
“Turki asked me to meet with some others from the boxing world,” Hearn told talkSPORT. “He calls it peace talks, and we’ll listen out of respect. But whether we work together depends on how I feel that day and what’s best for me, Matchroom, and AJ.
“As for Dana White, no thanks. If Turki wants to bring Dana into the chat, I’m not interested. It doesn’t matter who backs him; he’s not on my level.
“Honestly, I don’t want peace talks — I want war talks. I spent 15 years at war, and that was the best time of my career. Now we’re all being nice, and while I like having dinner with Frank and George, it’s kind of boring.
“I know what people want — they want some rivalry and excitement both in and out of the ring. So when we meet next week, I don’t want just a picture of us all putting our hands in the middle. I want to see who’s really the best.”
Hearn also reminded everyone that the Fury vs. Joshua fight is officially set to happen in the UK, and if they want to move it elsewhere, they’ll need to talk about new terms.
There’s still some uncertainty about the fight, since both fighters have matches lined up this summer before a possible winter showdown. Joshua’s next fight is against Albanian fighter Prenga next month, and Fury plans to fight in early August. If they both win, the long-awaited British heavyweight clash might finally happen this winter.