Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing Ambitions May Be Fueled More by Ego Than Reality
Zuffa Boxing co-founder Dana White is correct to point out many of the problems that exist within boxing. The sport is often criticized for its fractured structure, endless politics, and the inability to consistently make the biggest fights. However, whether White is the man capable of fixing those issues remains very much in question. In fact, there’s reason to wonder if his confidence—and ego—may be getting ahead of reality.
Zuffa’s most notable signing so far is reigning IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia (30-0. 23 KOs), who defeated Brandon Glanton by unanimous decision on March 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout, however, was surrounded by controversy because the IBF refused to sanction it. As a result, the fight was contested for Zuffa’s own world title rather than Opetaia’s IBF belt.
White didn’t appear concerned about the dispute. During the post-fight press conference, he took aim at the entire boxing establishment.
“Listen, this sport is broken for a reason. Everybody is a bunch of rinky-dink… I mean, it’s the most rinky-dink thing that I have ever seen in my life. I’m going to sign everybody, and we’re going to end up doing more fights this year… we might actually be doing 44 fights this year, just like the UFC.” -Dana White: Zuffa Co-Founder
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There’s some truth in White’s criticism. Boxing’s sanctioning bodies and competing promoters have often created obstacles that prevent the best fighters from facing one another. Fans have grown frustrated with the constant delays and politics that can derail major matchups.
WHERE HE’S GOING WRONG
White may be making the mistake of believing that boxing can simply be run like the UFC. The two sports operate very differently on the business side. In mixed martial arts, the UFC functions as the dominant promotional entity. Meanwhile, boxing has historically been decentralized, with fighters maintaining far greater control over their careers.
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It’s also unlikely that boxing’s biggest stars will rush to join Zuffa. Fighters such as Gervonta Davis, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, and Naoya Inoue are already major draws who command enormous purses. They have little incentive to place themselves under a system that could limit their earning power.
Furthermore, the four major sanctioning bodies still carry significant weight in boxing. Their titles remain central to the sport’s structure and prestige. Opetaia himself has repeatedly spoken about his goal of becoming undisputed cruiserweight champion, something that requires those belts.
Dana White has proven to be a brilliant promoter in mixed martial arts. However, boxing is a far more complicated landscape. If he believes he can simply bulldoze his way through it, he may soon discover that the sport is much harder to reshape than he anticipated.
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