Can Dana White fix boxing?

[ALI]

He seems to think so: https://youtu.be/Bd6r_PTeEOg

What do you think his plans are?

Will he try and implement the UFC model? One orginisation, less weight divisions, one champion per division, fight who you are told to fight, etc.

By the way he is talking, he is not going to come at it like any other promoter, i.e. get a few fighters, put on a show now and then, and feck knows what comes next.

I guess many will write of his chances of doing anything major in boxing. It certainly wont be easy, but it will be interesting to watch his progression in this sport.

[ALI]

From WorldBoxingNews: https://www.worldboxingnews.net/2019/10 ... ng-titles/

On the back of his very public spat with Oscar De La Hoya, Dana White has revealed his vision for boxing in the future. The UFC boss is planning to throw his Zuffa Boxing hat into the ring shortly, with plans afoot to completely ignore all of the current governing bodies. This had led some to believe a model similar to the Ultimate Fighting Championship is in the works. So what price we see the Ultimate Boxing Championship? – Well, only White knows this. One thing that is for sure is White’s plan to shake up the system as is stands. “I’m kinda figuring out what to do and navigate my way around,” White told Sirius XM Fight Nation in a recent interview. “I will tell you this, I’ve met with literally everybody in the sport minus Arum, minus De La Hoya. To my shock, everybody is willing to work together. Everybody is interested. “I’m not acting like I know everything. I’m the guy who’s going to save boxing, I don’t know s***, okay. What I do know is, the system and the model is broken. It needs to be fixed. “It needs to be flipped to where you actually start investing money into the sport the way that we did with MMA. Not just the UFC, the sport of MMA. “Then when you start getting into the politics that’s where it all gets screwed up. There’s enough money out there for everybody.” BELTS On how it could possibly work with all the greed in the climate at present, White added: “Everybody knows what needs to be fixed. “The way I get around it is (bypass them). I don’t recognize them (the WBC, WBO, IBF, IBO and WBA). “The UFC belt is sanctioned by nobody. You know why the belts credible? Because the best keep fighting the best. “To be the man you got the beat the man and as long as that happens any belt is credible. “So, what I need to do is, I hired a guy who starts this month and we’re going to sit down, we’re going to start working on and try to figure that out. “Everybody’s so used to playing in their own sandbox and isn’t willing to work together. I think I can do it and can get it done. We’ll find out.” Asked does that mean completely scrapping the current belts, White replied: “Yeah, I mean listen, we all know. Anybody that’s involved in the sport. Anyone who loves the sport knows what’s wrong. “Who’s got the balls to go out and fix it? So I’m going to give it a shot. Yes, I don’t recognize them (the organizations).”

[Steveh583]

Boxing doesn't need fixing.

[TheLeprechaun]

The UFC is great for MMA. You know who the best is and always get the best fights with very rare exceptions. In boxing the alphabet soup ruin the sport and encourage fighters to avoid tough fights in some situations. The UFC has a big edge on boxing in that respect. I can definitely see it working for boxing and I think it's badly needed. The problem will be generating enough money for the fighters but that is possible. I hope White can shake things up.

[fizzjambo]

Boxing doesn't need fixing.

Too fucked to repair?

[gilgamesh]

I'm sure he could cut a check to the right judge or whatever just like the rest of 'em.

[skanksta]

I wish someone would.

[samwbr]

Not without unlimited billions

[Cholo_cws]

Boxing doesn't need fixing.

Nothing wrong with the rankings, terrible matchmaking, boxers being able to avoid their rivals more than ever, punishment for drug offenders, clueless or often suspect officiating?

[ALI]

The UFC is great for MMA. You know who the best is and always get the best fights with very rare exceptions. In boxing the alphabet soup ruin the sport and encourage fighters to avoid tough fights in some situations. The UFC has a big edge on boxing in that respect. I can definitely see it working for boxing and I think it's badly needed. The problem will be generating enough money for the fighters but that is possible. I hope White can shake things up.

The main difference is MMA was a fledgling sport which the UFC were able to capitalise on. They have done an amazing job, McGregor was they key to unlocking their global mainstream success, and he was very much a product of their orginisation so well done to them.

Boxing has been a major mainstream sport on a global scale for decades. It is very well established. The problems it has are very deep rooted. There are so many parties and players involved. The pie is sliced up into 10,000 pcs with nobody really controlling anything. To get something done many of these parties must come together to collaborate. Sometimes it works out, more often than we would like it does not.

He certainly has his work cut out. I do like that he tells us straight off the bat he will pay zero attention to the existing alphabets. He is moving in the right direction already and he's yet to get started.

Who knows what may come of his venture, but i wish him luck. If boxing could have something like the UFC, i reckon it would be pretty darn good for the sport.

[Nightmare Roy]

Unless He overpays ridiculously he’ll get no fighters, can you imagine boxers signing for him and having to constantly fight their best rivals this isn’t the 1940’s you know!

[samwbr]

Unless He overpays ridiculously he’ll get no fighters, can you imagine boxers signing for him and having to constantly fight their best rivals this isn’t the 1940’s you know!

[Ruthless-RKO]

The UFC is great for MMA. You know who the best is and always get the best fights with very rare exceptions. In boxing the alphabet soup ruin the sport and encourage fighters to avoid tough fights in some situations. The UFC has a big edge on boxing in that respect. I can definitely see it working for boxing and I think it's badly needed. The problem will be generating enough money for the fighters but that is possible. I hope White can shake things up.

The main difference is MMA was a fledgling sport which the UFC were able to capitalise on. They have done an amazing job, McGregor was they key to unlocking their global mainstream success, and he was very much a product of their orginisation so well done to them.

Boxing has been a major mainstream sport on a global scale for decades. It is very well established. The problems it has are very deep rooted. There are so many parties and players involved. The pie is sliced up into 10,000 pcs with nobody really controlling anything. To get something done many of these parties must come together to collaborate. Sometimes it works out, more often than we would like it does not.

He certainly has his work cut out. I do like that he tells us straight off the bat he will pay zero attention to the existing alphabets. He is moving in the right direction already and he's yet to get started.

Who knows what may come of his venture, but i wish him luck. If boxing could have something like the UFC, i reckon it would be pretty darn good for the sport.

McGregor global yes.. but even then, it’s not like UFC capitalized on that, UK fans got his fights at no extra cost.

UFC goes through patches IMO.

With Lesnar they broke PPV records.

[Boxerbeetle]

Isn’t this pretty much what Haymon tried with PBC?

[Cholo_cws]

The UFC is great for MMA. You know who the best is and always get the best fights with very rare exceptions. In boxing the alphabet soup ruin the sport and encourage fighters to avoid tough fights in some situations. The UFC has a big edge on boxing in that respect. I can definitely see it working for boxing and I think it's badly needed. The problem will be generating enough money for the fighters but that is possible. I hope White can shake things up.

The main difference is MMA was a fledgling sport which the UFC were able to capitalise on. They have done an amazing job, McGregor was they key to unlocking their global mainstream success, and he was very much a product of their orginisation so well done to them.

Boxing has been a major mainstream sport on a global scale for decades. It is very well established. The problems it has are very deep rooted. There are so many parties and players involved. The pie is sliced up into 10,000 pcs with nobody really controlling anything. To get something done many of these parties must come together to collaborate. Sometimes it works out, more often than we would like it does not.

He certainly has his work cut out. I do like that he tells us straight off the bat he will pay zero attention to the existing alphabets. He is moving in the right direction already and he's yet to get started.

Who knows what may come of his venture, but i wish him luck. If boxing could have something like the UFC, i reckon it would be pretty darn good for the sport.

That's the crux of it but those currently calling the shots need to be got rid of. They've shown what they are about and can't be trusted. I feel he or somebody would need to lobby to somehow get them shut down (from doing business within the US that is - (they being the three major non-US based bodies)) to start shaking things up. These so called non-profit organisations should be made to prove where the money goes and as far as I'm aware they don't.

[ALI]

Isn’t this pretty much what Haymon tried with PBC?

Is trying with PBC. They have around 150 of some of boxing best fighters on their roster, and most of them seem very happy with the money they earn.

It is going to be interesting to see what Dana plans to do, and how he goes about doing it. Hopefully he can mix up the game, but he certainly has his work cut out.

[greg]

..Dana Whites of this world come and go, boxing stays..

[coneye]

So basicly we have promoters now , in bed with different organizations , and he's saing don't bother with them , bother with me cos i'm not like them , Hw wants the like of Canelo to fight GGG when he's told , AJ to fight Wilder when there told , , everyone to fight everyone when there told , for the new belt that is going to supercede the belts that they already have , because he says so .

Alls i can say is GOOD LUCK WITH THAT .

[Kilburn]

The UFC isn’t completely without belt-related bullsh1t albeit on a much less damaging scale. They will happily promote champion vs interim champion showdowns even though the circumstances around how the title got fragmented can be a bit of a head scratcher at times.

Then we got the big fuss about how McGregor was the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously, when all he really did was move up a weight division and for whatever reason was allowed to hold on to a featherweight belt that he was obviously never going to defend. Silly bollex really. He was getting so much credit for the simultaneously thing, you’d think he was going out to defend both belts against 2 different opponents in the same night.

Now we’ve got a special bad muthafucka belt being contested between Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal next month. Who knows what will become of that “title” down the line.

But these are minor things when you look at how the UFC delivers in terms of match ups. Israel Adisanya, a pretty special athlete, ripped the middleweight title away from Whitaker last weekend after coming through a war previously to get that opportunity. Is he going to get anything close to an easy first defence? Forget it. He’s got an absolute beast in Paulo Costa waiting for him, who in addition to what he brings to the fight, likes to slap 2 stone back on after the weigh in.

I’m not sure if Dana White can fix boxing but it sounds like he’s serious about it, I can’t imagine anyone else topping the level of effort he’ll be prepared to put in. Although, I’ve heard he only sleeps 2-4 hours per night. He might need to reduce that a bit more.

[kbackup408]

The UFC isn’t completely without belt-related bullsh1t albeit on a much less damaging scale. They will happily promote champion vs interim champion showdowns even though the circumstances around how the title got fragmented can be a bit of a head scratcher at times.

Then we got the big fuss about how McGregor was the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously, when all he really did was move up a weight division and for whatever reason was allowed to hold on to a featherweight belt that he was obviously never going to defend. Silly bollex really. He was getting so much credit for the simultaneously thing, you’d think he was going out to defend both belts against 2 different opponents in the same night.

Now we’ve got a special bad muthafucka belt being contested between Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal next month. Who knows what will become of that “title” down the line.

But these are minor things when you look at how the UFC delivers in terms of match ups. Israel Adisanya, a pretty special athlete, ripped the middleweight title away from Whitaker last weekend after coming through a war previously to get that opportunity. Is he going to get anything close to an easy first defence? Forget it. He’s got an absolute beast in Paulo Costa waiting for him, who in addition to what he brings to the fight, likes to slap 2 stone back on after the weigh in.

I’m not sure if Dana White can fix boxing but it sounds like he’s serious about it, I can’t imagine anyone else topping the level of effort he’ll be prepared to put in. Although, I’ve heard he only sleeps 2-4 hours per night. He might need to reduce that a bit more.

My underlying feeling is that Dana will realise that the control he has in the UFC was the glue which kept the promotional company ticking the complex nature of boxing and ignoring the alphabet belts won't sit well with the hierarchy in boxing.

On a side note note how good is Adesanaya some of the bests striking I have seen in MMA for a long time, his feints, stance switching, take down defence is a sight to watch

[coneye]

Mmmm , So lets give him the benefit of the doubt , and he does start up a new organization , with new belts , that supercede all the others ,,, Who are going to fight for these belts ,, which promoter or promoters , or managers , Hearn , De la Hoya ,, Arum , Frank , just which one of these or how many of these are going to say , here ya go Dana , heres my contract with the fighters , you can have em , don't worry about me mate I'll just retire , You can become the new King .

The King is dead , Long live the King , the new king Dana .

[tiny_acres]

Mmmm , So lets give him the benefit of the doubt , and he does start up a new organization , with new belts , that supercede all the others ,,, Who are going to fight for these belts ,, which promoter or promoters , or managers , Hearn , De la Hoya ,, Arum , Frank , just which one of these or how many of these are going to say , here ya go Dana , heres my contract with the fighters , you can have em , don't worry about me mate I'll just retire , You can become the new King .

The King is dead , Long live the King , the new king Dana .

Exactly what I was saying to a guy talking about this.
No way is Dana just going to steal the fighters away. Hes going to grab a bunch of no name undefeated guys with no promotional ties and pawn them off as world class

[ALI]

Mmmm , So lets give him the benefit of the doubt , and he does start up a new organization , with new belts , that supercede all the others ,,, Who are going to fight for these belts ,, which promoter or promoters , or managers , Hearn , De la Hoya ,, Arum , Frank , just which one of these or how many of these are going to say , here ya go Dana , heres my contract with the fighters , you can have em , don't worry about me mate I'll just retire , You can become the new King .

The King is dead , Long live the King , the new king Dana .

Exactly what I was saying to a guy talking about this.
No way is Dana just going to steal the fighters away. Hes going to grab a bunch of no name undefeated guys with no promotional ties and pawn them off as world class

I doubt he is planning for overnight success. His strategy, whatever it is, has to be long term, i'm sure he knows that. I doubt he feels he can take over in 12 months. Making a splash and a lot of noise early doors gets him well needed attention, its good for him and Zuffa Boxing.

He notes he has been talking with everybody except Arum and De La Hoya. By that it seems he wants to include the other promotional orginisations. That does not sound like a UFC business model.

Interesting to know if he has spoken with Hearn? Eddie likes to talk and would probably lay out the details of their discussion. Get on it Kugan.

Then there's PBC/Haymon. So did he talk with him, hard to imagine Haymon being interested in collaborating with Zuffa?

[black panther]

Maybe, maybe not. But at least he’s trying. And I like what he says about the ABC bodies and ignoring them. They are a stain on boxing now with all their belts and dodgy rankings.

[JamieM]

Boxing is 100 percent broken. Those who believe it isnt are delusional. The money isnt shared amongst 5% of people in boxing, with only 1% being fighter. As good as Mayweather was he really screwed up boxing and his legacy will be that he made himself a multi millionaire but on the grander scale of things he has had no impact on the model and capitalised on his own value. I can quite imagine hes your stereotypical promoter when he represents you and will behave in ways such as Don King.