Boxing: UFC boss Dana White takes aim at Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn
Fri Jun 22, 2018 12:44:pm Sports
3.5K By Obiaks Blog
UFC president Dana White has branded Eddie Hearn "very oversensitive" regarding reports of a potential $500 million deal between the UFC and Anthony Joshua.
Hearn has been Joshua's promoter since he turned professional in 2013, guiding him from his Olympic gold medal to the current unified heavyweight champion of the world.
Despite interest from other promoters in signing Joshua when his current contract with Hearn expires, White downplayed reports and insisted he never made an offer of $500m himself.
"It's not true," White told The MMA Roasted regarding the offer. "Me and Joshua spoke on the phone. We never got together.
"His contract was coming up and I said, 'Listen, I would like to talk to you guys.'
"He made it very clear to me that he wasn't going to leave Eddie and that he wanted to stay with Eddie.
"I said: 'Yeah, I'm not looking for you to leave Eddie, we can all work together, I think we can do a lot for you here in the United States.'
"Eddie Hearn hasn't been in the business that long. I think Eddie Hearn was very oversensitive over the thought that Anthony Joshua and I would even talk and was almost insulted by it.
"And that really wasn't the conversation we had or the intent."
Despite White's firm denial of any offer, he did admit it's all good publicity for Joshua's profile.
"If you're Anthony Joshua, they know that we have money and they know what we're capable of doing," White added.
"It's not a bad thing for Anthony Joshua to be in all of the newspapers and all over the internet that I made a $500m offer."
Joshua's last outing was a unanimous decision victory over Joseph Parker on March 31.
ESPN
Hearn has been Joshua's promoter since he turned professional in 2013, guiding him from his Olympic gold medal to the current unified heavyweight champion of the world.
Despite interest from other promoters in signing Joshua when his current contract with Hearn expires, White downplayed reports and insisted he never made an offer of $500m himself.
"It's not true," White told The MMA Roasted regarding the offer. "Me and Joshua spoke on the phone. We never got together.
"His contract was coming up and I said, 'Listen, I would like to talk to you guys.'
"He made it very clear to me that he wasn't going to leave Eddie and that he wanted to stay with Eddie.
"I said: 'Yeah, I'm not looking for you to leave Eddie, we can all work together, I think we can do a lot for you here in the United States.'
"Eddie Hearn hasn't been in the business that long. I think Eddie Hearn was very oversensitive over the thought that Anthony Joshua and I would even talk and was almost insulted by it.
"And that really wasn't the conversation we had or the intent."
Despite White's firm denial of any offer, he did admit it's all good publicity for Joshua's profile.
"If you're Anthony Joshua, they know that we have money and they know what we're capable of doing," White added.
"It's not a bad thing for Anthony Joshua to be in all of the newspapers and all over the internet that I made a $500m offer."
Joshua's last outing was a unanimous decision victory over Joseph Parker on March 31.
ESPN
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