Dana White has dominated out utilizing the UFC platform to host boxing matches for champions like Alex Pereira and Ilya Topria, shutting down the latest wave of crossover speak coming from his personal roster.
Dana White’s stance at UFC London
On the UFC London post-fight press convention, White was requested if Zuffa Boxing could possibly be used to facilitate a crossover combat between Pereira and Topria, who’ve publicly pushed for a future in boxing. In response, he flatly refused to supervise such a combat, saying it was “unthinkable” and calling crossover occasions “garbage” as a result of they do not match with the UFC’s id.
White emphasised that he stays targeted on pitting elite fighters in opposition to one another beneath MMA guidelines, somewhat than reserving one-off bouts with boxers. He added that there are “different networks and different individuals” who might deal with crossover occasions, however that it “is not what I do,” suggesting that even the long-teased Zuffa Boxing model has little interest in following the mannequin popularized by different promoters.
Alex Pereira’s long-term boxing ambitions
Pereira, a UFC gentle heavyweight champion and former two-division kickboxing titleholder, has been open for months about his plans to compete in skilled boxing as soon as his MMA profession ends. “I am undoubtedly going to field,” he stated throughout a latest look, stressing that he is already confirmed skeptics improper in kickboxing and blended martial arts.
The Brazilian knockout artist has positioned his boxing marketing campaign as a private problem somewhat than a money seize, insisting he’s “not aiming for more cash” and “I simply wish to exit and combat.” Final 12 months, he even floated the thought of a superfight with unified boxing heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, briefly fueling hypothesis a few future cross-code showdown, however White’s newest feedback have cooled the tone.
Ilia Topuria goals to completely switch
Topria, the UFC light-weight champion, made it even clearer that he sees boxing as the subsequent chapter of MMA. In an interview with Spanish media outlet Marca, he stated he had “all the time wished to attempt boxing” and admitted he didn’t plan to remain in MMA “too lengthy”.
The Georgian-Spanish star defined that he “wished to complete[his]story in blended martial arts” earlier than making the total transition, claiming it wasn’t “very skilled” to commute between blended martial arts and boxing camps. Topuria emphasised the necessity to adapt to boxing’s distinctive timing, coaching and ring surroundings and predicted his eventual transfer “will shock fairly a couple of individuals,” a press release contradicted by White’s present refusal to advertise a UFC-backed crossover showcase.
White’s feedback draw a transparent organizational line between the UFC championship marketing campaign and the kind of boxing experiments which have just lately made pay-per-view headlines elsewhere. Pereira and Topuria proceed to speak about long-term plans within the ring, however that ambition should wait till they fulfill their UFC obligations or step again, as their promoters have made it clear they won’t be selling them to boxing beneath their very own banner.
