- Published
Two days after the announcement British boxing had waited a decade for, Dana White - the UFC president and Zuffa Boxing chief named as one of the figures promoting Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua - was asked whether the fight would actually happen.
asserted
fight → publish → Joshua
"I don't know," he said.
asserted
he → know → ?
White was speaking at London's Copper Box on Saturday, where British heavyweight Johnny Fisher beat Michael Pirotton on his Zuffa Boxing debut.
asserted
Fisher → speak → debut
But for much of the media in attendance another heavyweight fight dominated the evening.
asserted
fight → dominate → evening
Asked whether Wednesday's scheduled Fury-Joshua news conference in London would take place, White added: "I have no idea."
asserted
I → ask → idea
On Thursday, Fury and Joshua were officially announced to meet at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 11 December, live globally on Netflix.
asserted
Fury → announce → Netflix
By Friday, that certainty had unravelled.
asserted
certainty → unravel → Friday
A dispute over who is entitled to promote the event led to claims of contractual breaches, talk of possible replacement fights and another flurry of cryptic social-media posts.
uncertain
who → entitle → posts
Why has White's involvement caused a problem?
asserted
involvement → cause → problem
Netflix and Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh's fight announcement was striking for who it included - and who it did not.
asserted
it → strike → who
The event was presented as a collaboration involving Alalshikh's The Ring and White.
asserted
event → present → Ring
There was no mention of Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, who has promoted Joshua throughout his professional career, or Queensberry's Frank Warren, Fury's long-time promoter.
asserted
who → be → career
The Zuffa Boxing promoter has been saying for weeks he would be involved in Fury-Joshua.
asserted
he → say → Joshua
After Thursday's announcement, Hearn said Joshua's contract specifically prevented White and American sports entertainment company TKO from having a promotional role, claiming Netflix had not been made aware of that provision.
asserted
Netflix → say → provision
Hearn said there had been breaches of the agreement which needed to be resolved and cast doubt on whether Wednesday's news conference would go ahead.
Fury says a similar restriction originally appeared in his own contract but was removed because he wanted White involved.
Warren has taken a more pragmatic position.
asserted
Warren → say → position
Speaking to BBC Sport before the latest dispute escalated, he said his understanding was White had helped secure the Netflix deal and compromises had been necessary to get the fight made.
asserted
fight → speak → deal
"The guy who is supposed to be helping the fight has been hurting the fight," White said.
asserted
White → suppose → fight
"He hasn't done the fight any favours."
asserted
He → do → favours
How did it go from 'official' to rumours it could be off?
uncertain
it → go → rumours
The uncertainty intensified on Friday evening.
asserted
uncertainty → intensify → evening
Reports emerged that Fury-Joshua could be in jeopardy and alternative fights for 11 December were being discussed, including Ryan Garcia against the recently retired three-weight undisputed champion Terence Crawford.
uncertain
fights → emerge → champion
Crawford appeared as surprised as anyone, publicly questioning the suggestion he could be fighting Garcia.
uncertain
he → appear → Garcia
Then Fury intervened.
asserted
Fury → intervene → ?
In a video posted on social media, he claimed Joshua and Hearn were "trying to pull out" and blamed the dispute largely on Hearn's objection to White.
asserted
Joshua → post → White
There has been no announcement from Joshua saying he intends to withdraw.
asserted
he → say → Joshua
On Instagram, Alalshikh posted pictures of himself with White and later shared a cryptic message in Arabic about somebody attempting to "stab you where you told them it hurts", although he made no explicit reference to Fury-Joshua.
asserted
he → post → Joshua
Hearn, meanwhile, posted a picture with a shushing emoji and the message: "Bet against me."
asserted
Hearn → post → me
For a fight negotiated so publicly for so many years, the familiar mix of claims, counter-claims and cryptic posts had returned almost immediately.
uncertain
mix → negotiate → claims
Fury-Joshua talk takes over Copper Box
asserted
talk → take → Box
Among the media in east London on Saturday, much of the conversation centred around Fury-Joshua.
asserted
much → centre → Joshua
Who had heard what?
asserted
Who → hear → what
Would Wednesday's news conference happen?
asserted
conference → happen → ?
And, with White in the building, would he provide any clarity afterwards?
asserted
he → provide → clarity
Instead, his post-fight comments only underlined the uncertainty.
asserted
comments → underline → uncertainty
White has been openly critical of Hearn, while the precise nature of his own role in Fury-Joshua remains at the heart of the dispute.
asserted
nature → remain → dispute
That distinction could prove significant when lawyers examine exactly what Joshua's contract permits.
uncertain
contract → prove → what
During Saturday's US broadcast of the Zuffa Boxing card, it was suggested White was helping Alalshikh on a personal level rather than acting as a promoter.
uncertain
White → suggest → promoter
White rejected that interpretation.
asserted
White → reject → interpretation
"I don't know where that came from," he said.
asserted
he → know → where
And White offered another tease when asked whether he would attend Wednesday's news conference if it does go ahead.
asserted
it → offer → conference
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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