Ever since Dana White declared, “I think the sport of boxing is so broken that it needs to be built from the ground up again,” his words have reverberated across the boxing world. In what is being considered a major milestone, the UFC president finally breached boxing’s frontiers. A landmark deal saw TKO Holdings, which owns the UFC and WWE franchises, join hands with Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh and Sela to launch a new boxing league.

Though full details remain unavailable, White and the team will reportedly manage the promotion’s day-to-day operations. The news has spawned an array of reactions. The relationship between Dana White and Oscar De La Hoya best illustrates the fault lines separating the two worlds of mixed martial arts and boxing. Once friends, they became frequent sparring partners as the years passed. But now, the Golden Boy appears far from pleased.

Oscar De La Hoya finds little to celebrate

De La Hoya joined Ryan Garcia and Jose Ramirez in a discussion, as the May 2 Fatal Fury kicked off. The Riyadh Season show marks Garcia and Devin Haney‘s much-anticipated return. It follows a tumultuous year that witnessed a bitter end to their controversial fight. Interacting with reporters, De La Hoya on touched on an array of topics, including Dana White’s boxing foray.

A reporter highlighted White’s reluctance to work with existing boxing promoters, unless necessary. This hinted at a shift toward a more independent or UFC-style model. There have been other speculations. Such as, White and Alalshikh might want the Ring Magazine to be the primary championship belt for their promotion.

“How do you think things are going to unfold, and what do you feel?” the reporter asked. Mincing no words, De La Hoya replied, “No, look, I mean, I did hear that he passed over the reins of boxing to Dana White. Well, that comment to me, I felt a little offended.”

He has dedicated his entire life to the sport and has been a promoter for over 20 years. “So what I’m going to do is stay in my lane and do what I do for Golden Boy and with DAZN and give the fight fans the best fight that can possibly be made,” he stressed.

The former world champion acknowledged that working with Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season has been a positive experience. It is something he’s open to. De La Hoya highlighted the past successes of the organization, like the  Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia fight. He reminded everyone that the Golden Boy is one of the best at developing fighters. And that no one can match Golden Boy’s ability to build champions and superstars. “So right, I’m gonna stick in my lane, and I’m going to work with Turki Alalshikh because it has been very positive,” De La Hoya reiterated.

Ways of seeing things

To understand the tension, one only needs to go through Dana White’s recent comments. The reporters asked White if he was open to working with presumably new rivals such as Oscar De La Hoya and Top Rank’s Bob Arum. To which, the UFC president responded, “I mean, let’s hope not! I would never say never, but that is not what I plan to do.”

But then one might as well accept the reality as Eddie Hearn did. “Totally finished,” Hearn joked but acknowledged that the boxing league’s presence could shake up the industry. He’s still confident in his business and plans to continue working with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season. It has been beneficial for boxing. While skeptical, Hearn didn’t rule out working with Dana White if it would benefit his fighters and business.

“If it suits us, if it suits our fighters, and if we’re asked to be, yeah, definitely consider it,” Hearn said. Diverging views from the old guard. It’s too soon to draw any conclusions. Perhaps time alone will tell how things shape up as the TKO boxing league digs its heels in boxing.

What about you? Would you consider Dana White’s entry into boxing a positive move?