DANA WHITE is out to build the NFL of boxing – starting with Canelo Alvarez’s super-fight with Terence Crawford.
White successfully turned the UFC into a mainstream powerhouse and the premium platform for MMA.
Canelo Alvarez, Dana White and Terence Crawford[/caption]
But he says boxing has been plagued with too many obstacles – from rivalling promoters and broadcasters – to all get on the same page.
White now has a deal in place with Turki Alalshikh of Saudi Arabia – whose cash has helped boxing’s biggest and best fights finally happen.
The UFC boss is promoting Canelo vs Crawford on Saturday in Las Vegas and has also launched Zuffa Boxing – his own promotional company.
“What we did with the UFC is turn the UFC into an NFL, an NBA,” White told Vegas PBS.
“There’s a league, you reinvest into the sport, and other people want to invest in the sport, whether it’s sponsors or any of these financial firms, whatever it may be.
“That’s what needs to be done with boxing, too, and that’s what I’m going to attempt to do.
“Listen, there’s no ego or arrogance when I talk about getting into boxing and trying to ‘fix it.’ This is a busted sport.”
White co-promoted Conor McGregor’s 2017 crossover clash with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather – which the Irishman lost in ten rounds.
CANELO VS CRAWFORD: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY
Canelo vs Crawford – All the info
IT’S finally time – one of the biggest boxing matches EVER takes place THIS WEEKEND.
Two of boxing’s GOATs will meet in the ring as they fight for pound-for-pound supremacy and the super-middleweight crown.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence Crawford have been fixtures in the top of the rankings for years and are considered among the best to ever do it.
Unbeaten Crawford, who beat Israil Madrimov to win the light-middleweight title last time out, hasn’t fought for a year.
He is jumping up two weight divisions to meet Canelo, having spent most of his career weighing in even lighter.
Mexican favourite Canelo has scored title defences over Edgar Berlanga and William Scull since Crawford was last inside a ring.
Here’s all the info for this must-watch fight…
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And he returns for Canelo’s undisputed super-middleweight title fight against Crawford at the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium.
But White will also focus on developing boxing talent – akin to his Contender Series giving prospects the chance to earn a UFC deal.
“Basically, in 2026, I’m going to start my show, and what I’m going to do is basically like Contender Series,” White revealed.
“The best will fight the best, undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys, and what you will do is you will care about the first fight of the night, and not just the main event.
“So I will build stars, put on great fights, and then these guys will graduate and fight with Sheik Turki.”
Alalshikh has helped bring previously feuding promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren – with the two now sharing the DAZN platform together.
And White knows he is walking into a sport with several cooks already in the kitchen – having been able to cook up his own ideas for so long in the UFC.
“I think that the great thing about it is there’s a lot of options,” White said.
“Eddie Hearn is a great promoter. He’s very successful and, in my opinion, he’s a good guy. I like him very much.
“You’ve got Frank Warren out in the UK, who is very successful and does well.
“There’s options, and we’re all going to have to compete, and we’re all going to have to try to be better than the other guy to get the best talent. …
“I compete with the NFL, I compete with the NBA, I compete with big movie studios. Whatever takes your attention on Saturday night is my competition.
“So, as I get into boxing, it’s a totally different world from MMA. I’ve been doing this for 25 years.
“26 is going to be my first year in [boxing], so I will definitely be competing with the Eddie Hearns and the Frank Warrens of the world, but I look forward to it.”
Canelo, Turki Alalshikh, White and Crawford[/caption]
