It's clear that Dana White isn't going away. So can Eddie Hearn learn to live with him?
There are reports going around that Dana White was brought in to play a role in the promotion for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua at the request of Netflix. Since they are the ones broadcasting the match, it could be viewed as reasonable that they should have some say over who is involved.
Netflix will be anxious to get good viewing numbers in the US for the fight, and it's likely they believe that the outspoken American UFC supremo can help sell it to American viewers.
We still don't know what exactly Dana's role will be. The leading boxing commentator, Max Kellerman has downplayed his involvement, saying he is just working as an assistant to the Saudi sports mogul, Turki Al-Sheikh.
White himself says that the fact that he is publicly talking about the fight is evidence that he is promoting it.
Dana also has strong connections to Tyson Fury. In fact, it was Fury who created an opening for Dana's involvement in this match, by removing a clause from his contract that expressly prevented it. The same clause however, remained in the contract that Joshua signed.
Fury's fondness for Dana White might be explained, partly at least, by the American's intervention in an issue that prevented the Gypsy King from visiting the United States. Fury was once associated with the alleged leader of a drugs smuggling empire, Daniel Kinahan, who was recently extradited from Dubai to Ireland, to stand trial.
White is good friends with President Trump, and was able to get Fury's travel ban lifted.
Whilst I can see the argument for Dana White's involvement, I also sympathise with those who say he should not be there. It was Matchroom and Queensberry that spent years building up AJ and Tyson Fury, doing the hard graft from show to show that's turned them into the global attractions they are today.
It must be galling to watch someone who had nothing to do with their careers, and indeed nothing to do with boxing, just appear out of nowhere, to capitalise on their fame.
But as Dana himself has said, it was at the insistence of others that he got involved, and since Eddie Hearn is not bankrolling the promotion, the Matchroom boss can't simply order his removal.
Eddie keeps pointing to the contract that forbids White's involvement, but few people seem to be listening. What is legally enforceable when there are substantially differing contracts relating to the same event?
Eddie Hearn has been threatening to cancel the press conference on the match next week. But I believe he knows that the drama between himself and Dana is adding to interest in the fight. And if the fight does bigger numbers as a result, then both he and AJ will make more money.
Will Dana and Eddie appear at the same press conference? For all his protestations, I believe Eddie's understanding of the power of theatre, means the answer will be, yes.
