After Zuffa Boxing 3 wrapped up, Dana White fired back at his rival boxing promoters, who so far have questioned White’s vision and also mocked the UFC head honcho for claiming that he is going to “change the entire sport” of boxing.
After yet another successful event since the launch, White says he expected more competition when he entered the boxing business, but feels like he’s “beating up babies.”
“This is like beating up babies. I feel like I came in and I’m beating up babies. I expected more. I expected some pushback. I expected some, I don’t know, them to be more game. They’re all way out of their league.”
Dana White recently announced that Jai Opetaia will headline Zuffa Boxing 4 against Brandon Glanton. For this bout, the Ring Magazine cruiserweight title and the newly created Zuffa Boxing world cruiserweight title will be on the line alongside Opetaia’s IBF world cruiserweight title.
After hearing about Dana White’s plans, Eddie Hearn joked that, like White, he might consider introducing his own belts. He told iFL TV:
“That is the cringiest sh*t I’ve ever seen. You know I would never do that, but I was just laughing because I was reading about, whenever it is, Jai Opetaia fighting Brandon Glanton for the Zuffa championship of the world, and I was thinking, ‘Do you know what? I could just do that.’ That would be quite amusing. Why don’t we do an iFL one as well?”
Dana White mocks Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya
At the Zuffa boxing 3 post-fight presser, Dana White dismissed the Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn’s recent critique of Zuffa’s belt. White quipped:
“I don’t wanna sit here and smash Eddie Hearn or anything, but Eddie Hearn works for his dad. You know what I mean? He works for Dad. I don’t think he’s come in and ever had any type of vision, whereas we do. We’re gonna change the entire sport.”
White also questioned what Eddie Hearn and his father, Barry Hearn, have done as innovators in the sport.
“The sport has been out there for over 100 years and there’s plenty of guys that are involved in the sport. There’s plenty of money in the sport. Eddie Hearn and his dad have a lot of money. It’s not like they can’t compete. They can’t compete cause they don’t know how to compete. There’s no vision there.”
Lastly, White said this about Oscar De La Hoya, who has shown no love to the UFC CEO recently.
“They don’t stop talking. The WBC and Eddie Hearn and all this sh** that Oscar De La Hoya talks. We all know [De La Hoya is] f**king mentally ill. The guy’s talking all this shit, and his place is in foreclosure. He’s suing his fighter to try to stay with him. Has he done a Clapback Thursday recently? I would f**king love to see an episode of Clapback Thursday this Thursday from Oscar De La Hoya. Everybody feels it. It’s already happening. It’s going to be a fun year.”
Check out Dana White’s comments below:
