Dana White had big plans for boxing but things have not taken off for him like he said but there has been some solid fights, not because of him.
Most people were expecting him to go on a signing spree of all the world’s best professional boxers.
But the truth of that has not materialized at all.
Sure, he got one or two, like Shakur Stevenson but Stevenson is a boring defensive fighter at the end of the day.
Paramount Plus have improved the production a lot but that has nothing to do with White, the fighters have been in some scraps on Paramount.
But White himself is out of sorts, let’s look at some of the evidence:
- Looks disengaged and disinterested in his own product lately.
- Media appearances have been half-hearted and low-energy.
- Darren Till (who went from MMA to boxing) said his ego is out of control and he’s switched off.
- Epic promos that built stars have been replaced by lazy announcements.
- Now announces major fights casually on Instagram Live, not big events.
- A broadcast graphic infamously misidentified Shakur Stevenson as an NBA player.
- Zuffa Boxing debut was held in a small warehouse, drawing fan mockery.
- Boxing signings like Benn and Opetaia haven’t generated real buzz.
- His 2023 domestic incident has permanently damaged his public image.
- Even fans and critics now openly agree he may have “had his day.”
Look, White has been promoting fights for a long time.
Maybe he just does not have the same energy and motivation that he used to have anymore.
Whatever the case might be, the UFC and boxing would move on without him if he retires or steps back or whatever the case might be.
The signings just have not manifested for him in boxing like he thought they would.
He didn’t buy Top Rank either, or PBC, like some were claiming he was going to for a while.
The truth is they are in decline as well and Top Rank have struggled for a while now, PBC are just boxing faded stars at this point at over the top PPV prices.
Boxing however as a sport is doing great and is returning to popularity both in the US and worldwide at the moment.
What you are seeing happening here is a kind of a new era for boxing without some of the old guard names and so on, having the same influence they used to have.
Same with the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn as well.
Look at how their stables have shockingly declined in terms of the best boxers they have now compared to what they used to have?
The exact same can be said for Al Haymon/PBC and Top Rank.
The talent in boxing in the US and internationally is huge though and pound for pound has never been more competitive.
Boxing is doing great again and it is due to the standard of fights being made as well as the internationalization of that matchmaking.
Coupled with the technology advances in both production, distribution and the different time zones that is being achieved for the professional boxing product.
The old guard including some of the above names have clearly nothing to do with boxing’s new success and return to the top of the world.
The fights and the boxers do.
Boxing will never die.
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