Eddie Hearn Slams Dana White For ‘Dad’ Comments

Dana White recently made a few incendiary comments after his boxing venture, Zuffa Boxing, started facing heat. While it certainly raised a few eyebrows, no one was as vocal as Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn.

Talking at the Stomping Ground, Hearn questioned the legitimacy and reasoning behind Zuffa Boxing’s vision as a brand.

“I mean, right now, when you talk about Zuffa or whatever it’s called, when you talk about their vision, what’s their vision? In a ring that looks like you just got it out of a local club show, what sort of f*cking vision’s that or better still, here’s a belt, here’s Zuffa,” he said. “That’s not vision, that’s control, because the reality is when he says we can’t compete, they can’t compete in this cutthroat world of boxing, because it’s a horrible world.”

White recently made a few questionable comments after his Zuffa Boxing drew criticism from Hearn and other established boxing promoters. After Zuffa Boxing’s third event in mid-February 2026, White said he was surprised by the lack of resistance from existing promoters and likened entering boxing to “beating up babies,” suggesting his competitors weren’t putting up a real challenge. He also aimed directly at Hearn, dismissing him as someone who “works for his dad” and saying Hearn hasn’t shown true vision in the sport.

Hearn, on the other hand, certainly did not let these comments slide, unleashing one of his sickest burns, yet, in response.

“The reality is, yes, I do work for my dad, but guess what, Dana White has worked for his daddy for a long time. The Fertitta brothers, that’s who he worked for, and right now, Dana White’s got a new daddy, and his name is Turki Alalshikh. He is his pappy,” he said.

“Complete Dogsh*t”

Hearn did not stop there. He found the prospect of even talking about Zuffa and Matchroom in the same sentence laughable. According to him, Zuffa is levels below him.

“Listen, at the moment when you compare Matchroom shows to Zuffa shows, quite frankly, Zuffa shows are absolute complete dogsh*t. But they’re going to get better, and they’re going to sign some big fighters and they’re going to spend some money, they’re going to waste some money. I’ve said it before, they’re clever people,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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