Anthony Joshua, the former heavyweight world champion, held discussions with UFC CEO Dana White but firmly stated his unwavering loyalty to promoter Eddie Hearn.

Long-Term Partnership with Hearn

Joshua signed with Hearn shortly after securing Olympic gold in 2012 and maintains a career-long contract with Matchroom Boxing. White targeted Joshua when launching his Zuffa Boxing venture, prompting direct outreach.

Hearn Recounts the Conversations

Eddie Hearn detailed the interactions on the Cigar Talk podcast. A media report surfaced about Joshua’s talks with White, leading Hearn to confront him.

“I went to see AJ and said, ‘What the f***?’ He replied, ‘Yeah, he called me out of the blue.’ I asked what happened next, and he said, ‘I told him straight away, I’m with Eddie. But we had a good chat for about half an hour.'”

Hearn later met White in his office. “I said, ‘Oh, I hear you spoke to AJ.’ White confirmed, ‘Yeah, and within the first five seconds, he said, “I’m not leaving Eddie. He’s my guy, but let’s talk.” I respected that.”

Contrast with Conor Benn’s Move

Hearn faced a setback when Conor Benn departed in February for a £10 million one-fight deal with White. Benn secured a points victory over Regis Prograis recently and now stands as a free agent.

Despite such offers, Hearn expressed no concerns over Joshua. “He’s been offered better short-term deals when contracts ended. They looked impressive at first—’fur coat, no knickers’—but involved strings like five-year commitments.”

“He never even considered them. It was always, ‘No, I’m with Eddie.’ I have immense respect for him. In boxing, few fighters back you like that. He’s helped my company, becoming a shareholder, and I’ll always be grateful.”