The rivalry between MMA and Boxing is not a new chapter in the book of combat sports. And it seems like the debate of who’s better is not getting resolved anytime soon. The beef between Dana White (CEO of UFC) and Stephen Espinoza (President of Showtime boxing) is not new either. With an air of animosity between the heavyweights, both of these gentlemen leave no opportunity to drag each other to the pits of hell. However, things might change in the coming days.

Rumors suggest that Stephen Espinoza’s Showtime Boxing may be exiting the boxing scene by the end of the year. This development turned out to be music for Dana White’s ears. In response to these rumors, White and Espinoza engaged in a series of verbal jabs at each other, leading up to a potentially heated showdown.

The Showtime vs. UFC Feud: Verbal Battles in Combat Sports

Dana White and Stephen Espinoza have always been at a crossroads. Their opinions differ and they leave no stone unturned to show teeth at each other. In the combat sports realm, both the UFC and Showtime Boxing are the epitome of entertainment. However, things might be changing in the coming times as there are rumors that Showtime is drifting away from boxing altogether. This news struck many by surprise.

In a press conference following the contender series, White was inquired about his opinion on Showtime reportedly pulling the plug on boxing after 2024. White with a sarcastic demeanor quoted “That’s incredibly unfortunate. Production of that show was fantastic. The guy who runs Showtime Boxing is a great human being. It’s unfortunate to hear this,”. Followed by a “F**k Espinoza, and it’s about time that shitty product is off the air.”

The verbal jab didn’t sit well with the boxing president. During a press conference to promote Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo. Espinoza fired shots at White. He said “Not all combat sports are the same. No disrespect to anyone, but there are levels to this. This event will generate a gate of over $20 million. Our third $20 million+ gate in the last six months. To put that in perspective – the UFC has never done a $20 million gate in its entire history. We’ve done it three times since April,”

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The war of words didn’t end here. Dana White in response to Espinoza’s words added a story on his Instagram handle that said ” That’s exactly the type of response I would expect from that Weasel Espinoza. That scumbag has absolutely nothing to do with the success of Canelo, Ryan Garcia, and Terrence Crawford. Those guys are mega stars and they are the ones responsible for driving the gates in their fights. For him to even try and take any credit at all shows you exactly what an arrogant, delusional POS that guy is. For this clown to talk about “levels” is hilarious. The production of the fights on Showtime is an embarrassment and I have been saying that FOREVER. He is a little guy with a BIG yap and is a complete phony. I’m not at all surprised this is the end for them. It should have come way sooner. Sorry to see you go, Weasel, enjoy your retirement.”

The Battle of Titans: Dana White vs. Stephen Espinoza

Dana White and Stephen Espinoza’s relationship first turned sour after the Mayweather-McGregor Fight. The prime reason behind it was the disagreements over its promotion and box office success. White and Espinoza argued about the ranking of the 2017 boxing match in terms of pay-per-view sales. White’s POV was that the match was a top-selling match worldwide with almost 7 million purchases. Espinoza on the other hand ranked it second in domestic sales. And hence began the half-a-decade-old feud.

This disagreement also caused a public altercation. White criticizing Showtime’s performance during Espinoza’s tenure, Conor McGregor called Espinoza a “weasel” and accused him of causing audio issues during a press tour for the fight. And since then both these gentlemen turned against each other. They have called each other out on numerous occasions. Although, the latest development by Showtime Boxing is yet to be confirmed.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to witness Dana white and Stephan Espinoza’s rivalry. What’s your take on the recent developments? Do tell us in the comments below.

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