Arabic version: نزال فيوري وجوشوا يواجه غموضاً جديداً

According to BBC News, uncertainty has emerged over Tyson Fury’s scheduled fight with Anthony Joshua, officially announced on Thursday for 11 December at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. The bout is listed to be shown globally on Netflix, but a dispute over promotional roles has raised questions about whether Wednesday’s planned news conference in London will go ahead.

Dana White, the UFC president and Zuffa Boxing chief named among the figures promoting the event, said on Saturday he did not know whether the fight would happen. Speaking at London’s Copper Box after Johnny Fisher beat Michael Pirotton on his Zuffa Boxing debut, White also said he had “no idea” if the scheduled news conference would take place.

The announcement involved Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh’s The Ring and White, but did not mention Eddie Hearn of Matchroom or Frank Warren of Queensberry. Hearn, Joshua’s long-time promoter, said Joshua’s contract prevented White and TKO from having a promotional role. He said there had been contractual breaches that needed to be resolved and questioned whether the London news conference would proceed.

Fury said a similar restriction had initially appeared in his own contract but was removed because he wanted White involved. Warren said White had helped secure the Netflix agreement and that compromises had been needed to make the fight. White criticised Hearn, saying the person meant to be helping the fight had been hurting it.

Reports on Friday suggested alternative fights for 11 December were being discussed, including Ryan Garcia against Terence Crawford, who publicly questioned the suggestion. Fury later said in a social-media video that Joshua and Hearn were trying to pull out, while no announcement from Joshua said he intended to withdraw. As of Saturday night, Netflix continued to list Fury against Joshua and said both fighters would attend Wednesday’s news conference, although the contractual disagreement remained unresolved.