“You Cannot Tell Fighters What To Wear” – Dana White Confronted Over Repeating UFC’s “Mistake” After Revealing Boxing Plans

“If you know anything about me and you go back and look at anything that I’ve ever said, I never say anything that I don’t do – ever,” Dana White came up with a bold statement on September 19, in a pre-fight Q&A for the September 20 Callum Walsh fight against Przemyslaw Runowski on Fight Pass about his getting into boxing promotion. Indeed, that is something White has been teasing since 2017 while leaving everyone waiting for some concrete steps. So, has the time finally arrived?

In 2017, Dana White printed a Zuffa Boxing t-shirt and teased his entry into the boxing realm. In 2019, he had even set a target of October that year to kick things off with Zuffa Boxing. But for some reason or the other, the idea fizzled out. However, this time White went all open about it. “We’ve been kicking the whole boxing thing around for a long time. You’ve never heard me commit and say ‘I’m in.’ I’m in,” he said in the pre-fight Q&A while keeping tight-lipped about the specifics.

While the move might be pretty lucrative to the fans, it does come with its share of downfall. Boxing and MMA are two different sports with completely different personalities involved in it. So, not everyone is sold on the ease of this potential transition. Among the skeptics is Ariel Helwani, the well-known MMA journalist who isn’t shy about speaking his mind. In a recent appearance on The Stomping Ground YouTube channel, Helwani voiced his thoughts on the same.

The interviewer had asked Helwani about how deep Dana White’s claims are about this. While Helwani pointed out that White has been saying the same thing since 2017, he praised the UFC head honcho for his ability to make bold, often controversial moves and back them up with tireless effort. “He is a die-hard boxing fan and always has been,” Helwani noted, emphasizing White’s genuine love for the sport. Yet, even with that enthusiasm, Helwani cautioned that the world of boxing is a different beast entirely.

” I am not doubting that Dana wants to get into boxing. I’m not doubting that it’s going to happen finally. Sometimes things take longer and I’m not doubting that he could be successful in boxing. What I am doubting though and what I will say won’t be successful, is if he tries to use the same business model that he has applied to the UFC to the sport of boxing. I don’t think he will for the record, but if that is the plan, I would say that’s a mistake,” Helwani cautioned.

According to Helwani, White’s iron-fisted control over the UFC, where he has successfully built an empire by managing fighters with a tough-love approach, may not translate so easily into the boxing world. “Boxing is completely different. You cannot tell fighters what to wear. You cannot be as strong-handed as he is,” Helwani further added, in an apparent dig at White. For a sport notorious for its fragmented governance, inflated egos, and unique fighter autonomy, Helwani’s words indeed carry weight.

There is a difference between how White and the UFC operate MMA and how boxing promoters run the boxing events. One major difference is in fighter pay, which has led several of the UFC’s top fighters looking to fight boxing’s biggest stars. As things stand, the biggest names in boxing earn much more than their UFC counterparts. Boxers have more freedom in branding, negotiations, and choosing their paths, unlike the more centralized UFC model where White calls many of the shots.

Back in 2017, Conor McGregor, who held two UFC titles at the time, boxed Floyd Mayweather to earn the biggest payday of his career. In 2022, the then-UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou entered the ring and appeared in Tyson Fury’s post-fight interview to tease a potential fight. Despite that, White has not been particularly a fan of a crossover fight. “God, I hope not,” he said about the idea. There is one more aspect where boxing is distinct from MMA.

It is the promotional competition. While competitors of UFC do exist, most of the top MMA talent remains in the promotion. In boxing, the world’s best fighters are spread among dozens of promoters. White was asked if he’d try to bring in a similar model in boxing like that of MMA, where many top fighters are in a contract, which makes it easier to schedule big fights. White did not reply that directly. Instead, he said that he thought the UFC recipe was a working one.

“Well, it’s not like that hasn’t been done before (in boxing). There have been dominant promoters before that have had most of the talent locked up. But listen, I think if you asked anybody and even if you asked yourselves, the UFC model works. It works.’,” White said. White’s Collaboration with combat sports power broker Turki Alalshikh is also adding fuel to the anticipations. Just days back, he even praised Alalshikh for his investments in boxing.

“When you look at what Turki Alalshikh has done, it took Saudi Arabian money to make fights you never thought would be made. This is the first guy that is reinvesting back into the sport of boxing. Everybody else takes. It’s like a going-out-of-business sale every time they put on an event. ‘Let’s grab as much money as we can and run.’ He’s actually reinvesting in the sport, and I find it interesting,” White told BoxingScene.

For the unversed, White kicked off his maiden voyage with Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, during UFC 306 noche at the Sphere, Las Vegas on September 14 in the Mexican Independence Day weekend. So does White plan to be involved in Alalshikh’s rumored boxing league? At the UFC Apex on September 3, White had said anything was possible! While much has yet to come out, notable boxing icons are excited at the possibility of Dana White’s entry into the sport.

Dana White factor to uplift boxing? Hopes are on the rise

One of Dana White’s biggest goals currently is to make the sport of boxing interesting again. During a recent conversation with the “Sports Business Journal,” the 55-year-old boxing coach Teddy Atlas said, “I can make boxing interesting again and build a brand around it.” His interest in the sport has caught the attention of many, including renowned boxing trainer Teddy Atlas. The 68-year-old recently sat down for a chat on ‘Submission Radio’ and shared his opinion on the whole.

Atlas has seen the sport of boxing from very close quarters and feels it needs a change now. According to him, the fans do not enjoy watching the fights because of the lack of star attraction. The promoters also made a habit of setting up easy fights for their boxers just to keep their winning record intact. So, who can change that? Well, Dana White is the answer for you. White is known for his risk-taking ability, and with the amount of money Turki Alalshaikh is investing, Atlas did not doubt saying, “I say come on in, come on in. We need you.” 

Helwani is indeed right that White does have a dictating attitude, and it has helped him in the UFC. However, Atlas has an entirely different take on it and says, “He’s the dictator. He’s that. Listen, if a dictator ain’t chopping heads off and getting things done sometimes, maybe we could learn a little something.”  Teddy is not alone in this.

International and World Boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson is also among the ones who are welcoming Dana White to boxing. “That’s going to be the best thing to happen to boxing just like UFC,” Iron Mike said on the “It Is What It Is” podcast. He also explained why it was so.

“If you’re in UFC and if anybody’s booing the fight, you’re not going to see that guy. His next fight is going to be in South Dakota somewhere. Only good fights. If you don’t have a good fight, you ain’t never going to see that guy again. Not like boxing. ‘This guy’s going to fight next month again? We don’t want to see that.’ If any fights stink, you’re not back in the UFC no more. You’re never going to see those guys again,” Tyson said. With that, can Dana White help boxing reach new heights yet again? Let us know your thoughts.