A clash of titanic egos is brewing! But hold your gloves—this isn’t a showdown inside the ring. Nope, this battle pits UFC kingpin Dana White against the old guard of boxing, with none other than Golden Boy Promotions’ boss, Oscar De La Hoya, in the hot seat. And now, as White’s much-hyped new boxing league picks up steam, the former champ-turned-promoter has just found out where he stands in White’s grand master plan.
But let’s get you up to speed first! Just last month, White and Royal Advisor His Excellency Turki Alalshikh announced the launch of their new boxing league. Alalshikh has partnered with TKO Holdings to launch this boxing endeavor, which is also rumored to promote the much anticipated Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight later this year, as their inaugural event.
Regardless, ‘Golden Boy’ got involved in the matter when the GEA chairman made a certain comment about his ambition with the TKO Boxing League. In a press conference to announce the league alongside Dana White, Turki Alalshikh plainly said, “I trust [that] this league, in a short time, will crush everything.” While this may have sparked excitement among fans, with Oscar—nah!
You see, White, as he claims will use his UFC model in the league to take it to new heights. So, Oscar viewed Alalshikh’s comments as White being “handed the reigns of boxing,” which didn’t sit well with the promoter. “That comment to me – I felt a little offended,” Oscar told Fight Hub TV on 11 March. “I’ve been in boxing all my life. I’ve been promoting for 20-something years.”
April 20, 2023, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: Boxing legend and promoter Oscar De La Hoya address the media at the final press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz for the Tank Davis vs Ryan Garcia fight this Saturday from the T Mobile Arena on Showtime Pay Per View. Las Vegas USA – ZUMAd151 20230420_znp_d151_029 Copyright: xAdamxDelGiudicex
“So what I want to do is stay in my lane and do what I do for Golden Boy and DAZN, and give the fight fans the best fights that can possibly be made, just like we’ve been doing for years.” He claimed that working with Turki in the past year or so has been an“honor for me”. However, “I have my business that I’m going to take care of. And nobody’s going to touch me there, because we are the best developers in the fight game .”
Since Oscar’s response to Alalshikh’s comments, White has clarified whether he would work with the likes of Oscar, Eddie Hearn, and others.
Dana White on uncertain future with Oscar De La Hoya & others
Dana White has been clear about his vision for the new boxing league—he refuses to work with existing promoters or even sanctioning bodies, for that matter. His goal is to replicate the UFC model, where fighters remain exclusive to the promotion, avoiding outside competition. While this strategy has worked in MMA, boxing operates differently.
Dana White | via Imago
Top talent is often tied to promoters like Oscar De La Hoya, and the vast difference in fighter payouts makes recruiting difficult. Regardless, when White was asked about his intentions to work with Oscar, Hearn, and others, he revealed Oscar and others’ fate in his plans, “I don’t know how that’s all going to play out, we’ll see.”
Despite his firm stance against promoters and sanctioning bodies, White’s latest comments suggest he’s navigating uncharted territory without a clear plan. Should he adopt or stick to his vision? What’s the best move for his boxing venture?
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