Dana White elaborates on potential UFC move into boxing: ‘Why not give it a shot?’

[northern]

Having a organisation like the WBC, WBA etc. would cause friction with the UFC top brass and that's before you even think about national bodies such as the NABF and BBB of C, just to give an example.
Co-promoting with another promotion would be likely but to go into the boxing business for themselves is just something I don't think will happen due to having such reduced control of both the boxers and the sanctioning of title fights.

I think the UFC would make their own boxing belts if it becomes a problem dealing with the sanctioning bodies. They would have their own boxing champions just like the UFC does for its MMA champions.

That's a very good point, MMA organisations do run their own title fights and belts but sadly that doesn't work in Boxing.

The main organisations in 'world' championship boxing are (in order of age) the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and arguably the IBO. Outside of these you have other 'world titles like the WBF, IBA, GBO, UBO, WBFe, WBU (German version), etc. etc. but they don't carry the same weight as one of the bigger belts. If the UFC tried to have their own champions anyone who held them would be regarded as lesser world champions despite their ability.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

That depends entirely who holds them. Dana wouldn't get involved unless he was planning on shelling out big money.

[Best Coast]

That depends entirely who holds them. Dana wouldn't get involved unless he was planning on shelling out big money.

I'm not so sure about that. Dana may be willing to pay big bucks for a very few elite fighters, but he's proven himself to be very tight-fisted with his UFC purses. I could see him being a cheapskate with as many of his fighters as he can get away with.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

That depends entirely who holds them. Dana wouldn't get involved unless he was planning on shelling out big money.

I'm not so sure about that. Dana may be willing to pay big bucks for a very few elite fighters, but he's proven himself to be very tight-fisted with his UFC purses. I could see him being a cheapskate with as many of his fighters as he can get away with.

He's not cheap at all. He just didn't make the same mistakes boxing did.

[Blodhemn]

Shouldn't be hard. Imagine lower tier and journeyman type fighters would jump at the chance for the solidarity of an umbrella org, with some of the bigger names trickling in and most likely a few signing on early to give it some weight. It wouldn't solve the lack of activity among the top fighters though. Seems that disease is here to stay.

[Evander]

There's more interest in boxing long term it's proven sustainable, yes we have ups and downs no question.
From what I have seen we are our biggest enemy I have said that for over a decade.
But times are changing even for MMA, nevertheless we still need quality athletes and personalities in boxing.

Way it stands right now we have no problem with hyping fighters.
But we need boxers who are able and willing to stick at it and provide a constant source of entertainment over a period of time with less hype, in a nutshell let your skills do the talking.
At the end of the day the main reason the MMA guys have proven successful is because they supply KO's and dramatic short term fights, that's what carries them.
I can see MMA fighters crossing over into boxing much like McGregor did, the MMA fans I spoke to bought into that big time.
I also see boxing staying global in order to sustain itself, Russians, Asians, Europeans ect and people from all over the world which we have generally been rich in but they have to be good at the high level in order to maintain real credibility in say the P4P Top 10 for instance.

Looks like boxing is in good shape and by the sounds of it has people lining up around the block to invest in it.
There are a couple of dinosaur organizations who have done literally nothing for their boxers or for boxing as a whole lately that are dragging us down.
Don't get wrong some of these organizations paid their dues and did well for us previously, but they took their eye off the ball a long time ago.
It's up to them if they want to upgrade and join in the future.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Lol at people lining up around the block looking to invest in boxing.

[Evander]

Lets see.
Some of it will depend on what direction we take it in. it's up to us.

[Evander]

Remember Roc Nation didn't do sh_t for the Ward v Kovalev 2 promotion Saad.
That was a massive fight that should have done better.
We should be talking with them and getting them involved more.
I get that they got Andre his coin but if they're into upping boxing they sure would be helpful.
Let's get all parties doing their bit.

[Evander]

I'm not slagging them off, but FFS we are our worst enemy.
Years back I said there should be a boxing summit, I think the Mexicans did one if I remember rightly soon after.
We are not enemies, let's team up and pull together.

[Evander]

The Germans, The Russians, The Brits ,The Mexicans and The U.S imagine what we can do .
The days of division were over long ago.

[Blodhemn]

Roc Nation is about as successful at throwing away money in boxing as the PBC. Neither of them have to turn a profit so their ventures can't possibly last.

[Evander]

Well regardless Blod you know what I mean.
Let's throw everyone an olive branch and build a bridge and get over it and move forward, no point living in the past miserable.

[Blodhemn]

Lol boxing is more or less a get rich quick scheme to the ones in charge. Things will be forgotten only if there's money to be made.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Remember Roc Nation didn't do sh_t for the Ward v Kovalev 2 promotion Saad.
That was a massive fight that should have done better.
We should be talking with them and getting them involved more.
I get that they got Andre his coin but if they're into upping boxing they sure would be helpful.
Let's get all parties doing their bit.

They're not interested in working on boxing. The last big time boxing investors got brutally ripped off by Al. Roc nation lost a ton of money on those fights. Their involvement would only set boxing back even further in the states. Boxers are the most overpaid athletes in the world. They need worse times before it could ever get mainstream again in America.

[Evander]

Remember Roc Nation didn't do sh_t for the Ward v Kovalev 2 promotion Saad.
That was a massive fight that should have done better.
We should be talking with them and getting them involved more.
I get that they got Andre his coin but if they're into upping boxing they sure would be helpful.
Let's get all parties doing their bit.

They're not interested in working on boxing. The last big time boxing investors got brutally ripped off by Al. Roc nation lost a ton of money on those fights. Their involvement would only set boxing back even further in the states. Boxers are the most overpaid athletes in the world. They need worse times before it could ever get mainstream again in America.

I agree Roc Nation are useless when it comes to the big fights, I don't get it considering guys like Jay Z who is a NYC guy doesn't get involved whatsoever.
Guys like Jay Z and his people could do much more.
Maybe it's me but I always thought the brothers supported boxing as they've been so successful historically, I've been among the biggest cheerleaders of Black American fighters over the last 30 years and I don't get it.

[man]

what i find interesting is the idea of a new
player that establishes a new measure of
true champion in the alphabet soup. i for
one used to respect the WBC and WBA more,
but that is gone and now all four are equally
painful in the way they conduct their business.

if dana white can create a credible crown in
boxing, i'm all for it.

[man]

what i find interesting is the idea of a new
player that establishes a new measure of
true champion in the alphabet soup. i for
one used to respect the WBC and WBA more,
but that is gone and now all four are equally
painful in the way they conduct their business.

if dana white can create a credible crown in
boxing, i'm all for it.

[candyslim]

I know sweet bugger all about UFC/MMA but it seems to me this could be anywhere between a small and an enormous improvement. alternatively it could make an already sorry situation just a little bit worse. Bring it on I say.

As an MMA/UFC outsider I find it odd than participants are put to far more punishing schedules, having to regularly take on the toughest opposition for which they get paid much less than a boxer. It's not difficult to see why so many make the switch in fact I struggle to understand why the influx isn't greater?

[greg]

..I'm not sure I understand what his real intentions are except for increasing his personal cash flow..nothing wrong with that of course...still wonder though what's in it for boxing..a new DWB (Dana White Belt) ? aren't there enough belts? wouldn't the new one cause further confusion? I would assume he's ambitious enough to make this new belt count ..so it's gonna sound like "..and now we've got a new Undefeated Dana White Belt Champion of the World..can't think of anyone being anxious to get one of these..like I said it might just complicate the situation at the top level...

[candyslim]

It depends. If he's just another chancer trying his luck, then a fifth title belt is about as much use as a third buttock, but the four quarters are broken and corrupted. If the newcomer proved himself a knight in shining (Dana) White armour, offering something a lot better than more of the same, he could make the existing four governing bodies irrelevant or at least get them to clean up their act.

Don't forget the alphabet boys have no real power. It's all about perception. The only reason that the WBC are the top body and the IBC for example are regarded as an irrelevance, and not the other way around is purely down to the perception of the fans and those involved in the sport. The WBC are only number one as long as we see them that way.