Dana White has accumulated numerous adversaries throughout his career. Despite a previously strong relationship, the dynamic between White and esteemed boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has significantly deteriorated.
Zuffa Boxing, a relatively new entrant in the sport, has pledged to revolutionize boxing with a novel approach, though its vision has not been universally embraced. White’s and his team’s proposed direction for the sport has encountered considerable criticism following various announcements throughout the past year.
The latest figure to publicly lambast Dana White and Zuffa Boxing is Eddie Hearn. The British sports promoter and chairman of Matchroom Boxing reacted strongly to White’s remarks, particularly his comparison of competing with veteran promoters like Hearn to “beating up babies.”
“While I wouldn’t go as far as to say he was fawning over us, Dana has consistently praised our company and my work as a promoter,” Hearn stated in response to White’s comments. “Therefore, his assertion that I lack vision is genuinely perplexing.”
Hearn challenged Zuffa’s supposed vision, questioning, “What exactly is their vision? Is it having Max Kellerman declare Callum Walsh the next Roy Jones? Or perhaps headlining Charles Martin on a Sunday evening event in a garage with barely over a hundred spectators, in a ring that resembles something from a local amateur show? What kind of vision is that, frankly?”
Dana White has explicitly stated his intention for his new promotion to diverge from traditional boxing sanctioning bodies.
Zuffa Boxing recently unveiled its own world title, exclusively available to fighters competing within its framework. Rather than collaborating with established organizations like the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO, White aims to institute his own championships and a proprietary ranking system, mirroring the UFC’s model. This strategy has sparked considerable controversy within the boxing community.
“Oh, and they have a belt! That’s Zuffa’s vision!” Hearn continued with sarcasm. He then asserted, “That’s not vision; it’s control. The truth is, when White claims we can’t compete, they are the ones who can’t compete in the ruthless landscape of boxing. It’s a challenging environment, and they prefer not to engage directly, choosing instead to forge their own isolated domain.”
He concluded this point bluntly, stating, “Honestly, right now, if you compare Matchroom events to Zuffa’s, Zuffa shows are, quite frankly, utter rubbish.”
Despite his criticisms, Eddie Hearn conceded that Zuffa Boxing is likely to improve. He anticipates that the company’s proprietors will heavily invest in attracting prominent fighters, yet he maintains they currently lack the necessary appeal to win over boxing enthusiasts.
“They will undoubtedly get better and sign some major fighters. They’ll spend a lot of money—and likely waste some too. As I’ve always said, they are intelligent individuals,” Hearn elaborated.
He added, “However, at present, they are attempting to manipulate fans, underestimating the boxing community’s intelligence. You cannot assemble these fight cards and claim they feature the best against the best, because, quite frankly, they don’t.”
The verbal sparring escalated as Eddie Hearn responded to Dana White’s dismissive comment that Hearn is “just Barry Hearn’s son.”
“Yes, it’s true I work for my father. But let’s be clear: Dana White himself has long worked for his ‘daddies’—the Fertita brothers. And now, Dana White has a new ‘daddy’ in Turki Alalshikh. Turki Alalshikh is Dana White’s boss, and he’s obligated to follow orders… As a boxing promoter, White is, frankly, at the very bottom in terms of quality,” Hearn retorted.
