Dana White talks Zuffa Boxing plans falling through in 2017, believes "there's a million reasons why" now is a better time
Dana White recently looked back on why his ambitions for Zuffa Boxing collapsed in 2017. After years of considering the possibility, the UFC CEO has finally decided to make his move into the world of boxing promotion.
White went all-in on promoting Zuffa Boxing, even creating branded T-shirts for the spin-off venture from the UFC's former parent company, leading up to the blockbuster Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather showdown in August 2017.
The UFC head honcho has long criticized boxing as a flawed sport, even declaring in 2022 that it was so irreparably broken that he had no desire to get involved. However, last weekend, White hinted at a change of heart, suggesting he's preparing to make another foray into the squared circle by next year.
During the press conference following 'Contender Series' on Tuesday, White revealed that back in 2017, he was in discussions with high-profile boxers like Anthony Joshua but emphasized that everything happens in its own time. He said:
"But I think obviously now is the time, or I would’ve done it [in 2017]. I was kicking around. I was even talking about Anthony Joshua at one time and stuff like that. I’m glad I pumped the brakes, and we waited. Everything is about timing. Is now the time? We’re going to find out."
White also mentioned his plans to incorporate several unconventional elements into his potential new venture that no one has dared to apply before:
"There’s a million reasons why now is [the time]. If you notice, as far as boxing, even as much money as Sheikh Turki [Turki Alalshikh] is throwing into this thing, television deals aren’t really abundant right now. There are just a lot of things I think I can do that other people haven’t done yet."
Check out Dana White's comments below (9:48):
Mike Tyson supports Dana White's potential move into boxing promotion
During a recent appearance on the It Is What It Is podcast, Mike Tyson voiced his backing for Dana White's potential foray into the world of boxing promotion.
'Iron Mike' confidently stated that White has the ability to elevate the sport, ensuring that both the quality of the fights and the overall experience will reach new heights under his leadership. He said:
"That's going to be the best thing to happen to boxing because Dana - listen, just like UFC, right? Listen, if you're in UFC, and if anybody's booing a fight, you're not going to see that guy. Their next fight is going to be somewhere in South Dakota. There's only good fights. If you don't have a good fight, you ain't never going to see that guy again."
Check out Mike Tyson's comments below (32:11):