Dana White Says 'F*ckery' Scuppered a White House Fury-Joshua Reveal

Dana White says the original plan was to announce Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua at UFC's White House card this summer — and that it fell apart because, in his words, a lot of "f*ckery" got in the way. Fury was there, got his moment on camera, and then... nothing. The reveal everyone expected never came. Speaking to Pat McAfee on Tuesday, White confirmed the fight is now locked for December at Cardiff's 80,000-seat Principality Stadium, with fewer than 700 tickets left when it went on sale — functionally a sellout.

This is the biggest heavyweight fight in English history, and White isn't just a spectator. He says he and the UFC are promoting and producing it, sharing the event with Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren. For a man who spent two decades insisting boxing was broken, that's a notable turn — and he admits he knew messes like this came with the territory the moment he stepped into the sport.

The Tug-of-War Over Venue

The sticking point wasn't White's involvement so much as geography. Hearn and Joshua wanted the fight in the UK. White pushed hard for Madison Square Garden. Hearn's camp won, and even White concedes the result speaks for itself: an 80,000-seat stadium sold out almost instantly. He still thinks MSG — a five-hour flight away — would have done the same numbers, pointing to the chaos the Irish bring for Conor McGregor and the old Ricky Hatton Vegas invasions as proof UK fans travel and bring noise.

White's being diplomatic about the Hearn feud now, calling it "silly" and insisting the tickets settled the argument. Both men pushed in opposite directions and the fight sold out regardless. He expects a split crowd — Joshua fans, Fury fans — and an electric building. Hard to argue with that read.

Where the Fighters Stand

Joshua comes in at 29-4 with 26 knockouts, a heavyweight who still ends nights early when he connects. His most recent outing was a sixth-round stoppage. Fury, meanwhile, remains the sport's loudest draw, and the pairing of two generational heavyweights is exactly the kind of crossover White wants attached to his boxing debut as a promoter.

The McGregor comparison is telling, too. White's UFC star sits at 22-7 (19 KO) and is still chasing a return date with no bout agreement signed, coming off a first-round TKO loss to Max Holloway. The Irish traveling circus White referenced is a reminder of what sells live — and he's betting Cardiff delivers the same energy in December.