Dana White recently fired back at Roy Jones Jr. over his controversial take on Zuffa Boxing. Jones raised his voice so loud during an interview that he stormed out of the arena over frustrations with White’s boxing promotion. The boxing legend feared that fighters would eventually need to erroneously comply with the organization’s demands to gain opportunities.
He decried proposed changes to the Muhammad Ali Act, which was meant to protect fighters’ rights and prevent monopolistic control. However, White thinks the legend’s criticisms might put him at loggerheads with prominent boxing figures.
White responds to Roy Jones Jr’s controversial Zuffa Boxing comments
Jones fears that opening the door to Zuffa might ultimately hurt boxers’ careers. The real tension is linked to fighter pay dynamics, however. Historically, boxers command higher take-homes than their MMA counterparts. But with Dana White’s plans to import the UFC’s pay model into Zuffa boxing, the sport might have a different barrier-to-entry that usurps things. Furthermore, Jones argues that chaos may develop if UFC fighters discover that they can earn more in a single boxing night than they could in an entire MMA career. However, White won’t have any of Jones’ accusations.
“When you come into a business and you start to cause disruption, you’re gonna ruffle some feathers,” White said,
The 56-year-old wants to establish UBOs (Unified Boxing Organizations) within the new boxing promotion, which will allow them to own their own rankings and belts. Interestingly, Jones isn’t the only person criticizing the idea. Other stakeholders have criticized the move for being coercive and anti to boxers’ interests.
Colby Covington recently alleged that the promotion “ices” fighters who reject matchup offers from the promotion’s executives. Covington claims that the promotion pressures athletes into accepting whatever bout is on offer, as rejecting it can leave them indefinitely sidelined and without any income. Conversely, Dana White argues that fighters won’t have to cozy up with the UFC managers to get fighting matches. Even more, the promotion shows no signs of stopping, as rumors claim Zuffa boxing is on track to sign a big name in the boxing world.
