Thirty-six hours after Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua was announced for December 11 in Cardiff, the fight is in doubt, replacement bouts are being floated in public, and the sticking point appears to be the same argument that has run through this negotiation since May.

The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported Friday evening that the fight “could be called off due to issues, according to sources,” and that a replacement bout between Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia was being considered. He followed it with two more possibilities: Fury against David Benavidez, and Jai Opetaia against Deontay Wilder in a co-feature. Coppinger did not specify what the issues were.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated then named the problem. “The ‘issue’ that is jeopardizing Fury-Joshua is Dana White’s involvement, multiple sources told SI,” Mannix posted. “Turki Alalshikh, who is bankrolling the fight, wants him as a promoter. AJ and Eddie Hearn don’t, and have a contract that says Zuffa can’t be. Fight very much in peril.”

That matters for two reasons. It is the first report on the dispute from an outlet with no connection to the event’s financier, and it identifies the sticking point as the promotional clause rather than either fighter’s willingness to fight.

Fury sees it differently. Reacting to the reports on social media, he blamed the other side directly.

“Breaking news, Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn are trying to pull out of this fight,” Fury said. “They’re saying they’re not going to fight now. They’re little shithouse cowards. It’s mainly to do with Eddie Hearn’s ego. He’s making up a million different things.”

He continued: “Now we’re coming home. Now I’m coming home. The Gypsy King is coming back to the United Kingdom to thrash you in front of all my fans in Wales. And now you’re making a million excuses. Now you’ve got Turki Alalshikh finding alternative real men who will fight at the drop of a hat. So I hope you are happy, you little cowardly bastards. This is mainly to do with Eddie Hearn’s ego. He’s cost us the biggest fight in boxing history.”

Matchroom had not responded as of Friday night. Neither had Sela, The Ring or Netflix. Nothing has been officially cancelled.

The promotion has been in dispute since the moment it was announced. The Netflix release named Alalshikh’s The Ring and Dana White as promoting the event, and named neither Eddie Hearn nor Frank Warren. Hearn rejected White’s involvement immediately, telling IFL TV that “Dana White cannot be involved with this fight promotionally” and that “Netflix clearly didn’t get the memo.” He said he would be speaking to the broadcaster “just to remind them of their contractual obligations.”

Fury then undercut him, saying on his own channel that the clause barring White existed in his contract too. “That was in mine. But I took it out. I took it out so he could be involved.” That contradicts Frank Warren, who told Fight Hub TV in May that “in the contract with Tyson, it says that Zuffa will not be able to promote that fight.”

White, speaking to Sky Sports on Friday before the Coppinger report, was unmoved. “What did I lose? What have I lost? I promise you I’ve lost nothing. I am not involved in either side of this thing. I’m involved on the Turki side.” On Hearn’s threat to raise it with Netflix: “You think Netflix care what Eddie Hearn thinks? I guarantee they do not. I’m sitting here promoting the fight right now. Who’s going to stop me?”

Friday night added one more layer. Alalshikh posted a photograph of himself with White and TKO president Nick Khan. White posted a video call with Alalshikh. Neither said a word about the fight.

A press conference remains scheduled for Tuesday, September 30 at British Airways Arc in London. The vacant WBA “super” heavyweight title was added to the bout on Thursday, per Coppinger. Tickets have not gone on sale.

Two things are worth keeping in mind. This fight has been pronounced off at least four times since August, including three times by Fury himself, and it was announced anyway. And the dispute now has a name. It is not the venue, the money, the belt or the bell time. It is whether Dana White’s name is allowed on the promotion, which is the argument that has run through this entire negotiation since May.