“The best will fight the best.” And just like that, another declaration. Another battle cry from Dana White. But this time, it’s not for the Octagon, it’s for the squared circle. Unlike Power Slap, this isn’t some experimental venture into uncharted territory. This is boxing. A sport with over a century of history, deeply entrenched traditions, and a landscape controlled by long-standing promoters. So, what do the existing stakeholders feel about this bold new move?
Well, Eddie Hearn, one of boxing’s most influential promoters, isn’t panicking. Yet. The Matchroom Boxing chief isn’t one to shy away from competition, and while UFC boss and Turki Alalshikh’s new boxing league is making waves, Hearn has one key condition for jumping on board. “If we are asked to get involved in a concept that we believe in with people like Dana White and Turki Alalshikh, would we be up for that? Absolutely,” Hearn told Ring Magazine.
So, the catch? Hearn isn’t about to toss aside the sport’s traditional structure. Unlike Dana’s vision of simplifying the championship system, Hearn values the historical and organizational backbone of boxing. His contributions to the sport, bringing major fights to Saudi Arabia, securing multi-million-dollar deals, and building world champions, aren’t something he’s willing to gamble away on a shake-up. He clarified, “If there’s a fight we’re also up for that as well, but I don’t believe, you know, a lot of that is narrative that’s spun by people in the industry.”
Boxen: 62nd WBC Annual Convention, , Hamburg, 11.12.2024 Eddie Hearn Matchroom Hamburg Germany *** Boxing 62nd WBC Annual Convention, , Hamburg, 11 12 2024 Eddie Hearn Matchroom Hamburg Germany
So, Hearn isn’t against change. But when it comes to boxing’s foundation, he’s not looking to tear down the walls. The WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF? They’ve been around forever, shaping the sport, and Hearn knows their importance. Sure, a streamlined league sounds exciting, but does that mean tossing history out the window? Not in his book. If Dana’s new league wants to thrive, Hearn believes it needs to work with boxing’s traditions, not bulldoze through them. Hold on, so what is the UFC head honcho game plan here? Is it to revolutionizing sport or just running a fancier version of the same game? Because his ability to make anything flashier is undeniable.
Is Dana White reinventing or just tweaking the formula?
Dana White promises a streamlined system. No more alphabet soup of championship belts, no five different sanctioning bodies calling the shots. Just one champion per division. Sounds simple. Sounds great! But boxing’s big players aren’t exactly thrilled about the idea of Dana White waltzing in and tearing up the rulebook they’ve played by for decades. White, however, sees it differently.
He’s selling a vision where the messiness of boxing’s political landscape gets cleaned up. “You get rid of all the five different champions in five different sanctioning organizations. One, it will just be one,” he said in a no-nonsense statement to ESPN. He also plans to take fights beyond the usual hotspots like Vegas and New York. “We’re going to go to Mexico, we’re going to go all over the United States,” he told Sports Business Journal.
And let’s not forget the pacing issue. Fans have long complained about boxing events dragging on for hours, interwoven with unnecessary concerts and filler content. White promises to fix that, modeling the structure after UFC fight nights, fight after fight, no wasted time. His team is already scouting fresh talent, looking to build this league from the ground up. But boxing isn’t MMA, and this is where things get tricky.
The biggest roadblock? The sport’s current power structure. Unlike MMA, where the UFC holds the majority of top talent under one banner, boxing is fractured across multiple promotions. Each with its own roster of stars. White has been clear, co-promotion isn’t something he’s interested in. But can he afford to take that stance in a sport where Matchroom, Top Rank, and Premier Boxing Champions hold the keys to the biggest fights?
Hearn, for his part, has no problem working alongside White, if the terms make sense. “Ultimately, we’re all working together for the good of the sport,” he said. A diplomatic answer, sure. But read between the lines, and it’s clear. Hearn refuses to be steamrolled. He has built a powerful position in boxing’s modern era, and he isn’t just about to give it up. So, is this the beginning of a new boxing empire, or just another power struggle that will leave fans stuck in the middle?
White’s track record in MMA suggests he knows how to build a dominant brand. What do you think? With boxing being a different beast, will the existing giants won’t go down without a fight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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