Eddie Hearn reveals Anthony Joshua's huge pay cut to fight Tyson Fury in UK

The long-anticipated heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally got off and running this week following a launch press conference and face-off in London. Central to sealing the domestic showdown was a major financial concession revealed by USA Today, which reported that Joshua agreed to an eight-figure pay cut to ensure the fight would take place in the United Kingdom. Behind the scenes, executive friction immediately overshadowed the London launch. Eddie Hearn blamed Dana White's "arrogance" for generating nasty rhetoric ahead of the bout, accusing White and his associates of being "control freaks." Although White publicly addressed the UFC's involvement, official promotional duties for the fight were confirmed with Zuffa remaining on the sidelines.

The dispute grew tense enough that Joshua openly backed Hearn should the promoter decide to "pull the plug" on the Fury fight entirely over the standoff with White. Joshua also claimed external forces are aligned against him, stating to The Independent that Turki Alalshikh and Netflix want him to lose to Fury. Despite pointing to institutional headwinds during an erratic launch day in London, Joshua expressed sharp confidence in his in-ring performance. He predicted a first-round knockout against Fury, aiming to deliver a spectacular victory when the two heavyweights finally meet.

Fury, on the other hand, is already framing the contest within a wider championship trajectory. Announcing that he is on a mission to regain everything he has lost, Fury indicated that he is already looking towards a trilogy match with Oleksandr Usyk, even as the promotion for his domestic blockbuster against Joshua only begins to unfold.