Dana White and Zuffa Boxing – a stranglehold on boxing and MMA

Dana White built his reputation on turning the UFC into a global combat sports powerhouse. Alongside the Fertitta brothers, Zuffa created a monopoly in mixed martial arts that squeezed competitors out of the picture. Now, with White attached to Zuffa Boxing, questions remain about whether the same tactics will be applied to boxing – and whether the sport can resist.

Was seeing White front and centre for the recent Terence Crawford vs Canelo Alvarez fight a sign of things to come?

Dana White and Zuffa Boxing – examining a potential stranglehold in combat sports

The UFC’s rise under Zuffa was not by accident. White pushed for aggressive expansion, locked fighters into restrictive contracts, and controlled broadcast rights with an iron grip.

Alongside this, the UFC marketed itself as the pinnacle of mixed martial arts training, while rivals like Strikeforce, Pride, and WEC were eventually absorbed by the UFC.

Boxing has historically been more fractured. Multiple promoters, sanctioning bodies, and broadcasters mean no single entity has ever controlled the entire sport.

That fragmentation is often blamed for the fights that don’t happen, belts that lose meaning, and stars who fade before reaching their peak. White has long criticised boxing for those very reasons, presenting himself as the man who could “fix” it.

But the UFC model is not without flaws. Fighter pay has been one of the sport’s most contentious issues, with athletes earning a small fraction of the revenue compared to top boxers.

Francis Ngannou’s public split with the UFC highlighted the limitations of Zuffa’s control, as he walked away from a heavyweight title reign to secure life-changing money in boxing. If White were to bring the same financial structure into boxing, fighters would surely resist.

It remains to be seen if the proposed changes to the Muhammad Ali Act will be accepted, but these changes have already attracted negative press.

Zuffa Boxing has been teased for years. White announced the project in 2017, later suggesting it was shelved, only for rumours to resurface.

The uncertainty has not stopped speculation that White intends to replicate the UFC system in boxing, perhaps in partnership with major streaming platforms such as Netflix, and signing up and coming fighters.

If successful, it would mark the first time in decades that a single brand held genuine leverage over both MMA and boxing.

Concern over Zuffa Boxing

The concern many have is related to control. Under a Zuffa model, fighters would lose independence, with promoters unable to negotiate across networks.

This could ensure boxing is streamlined, but at what cost? If competition and fighter freedom is expunged, the sport would lose credibility.

White has proven himself as one of the best at selling events and building stars. It seems Zuffa Boxing will follow a similar model and sign under-promoted and up-and-coming fighters.

MMA and boxing exist in different ecosystems, with UFC the dominant force in MMA, while boxing has several promoters that contribute to promotional rivalry and the general unpredictability of boxing.

Dana White, Turki Alalshikh, and Zuffa are not here to make up the numbers; they are here to take over. Their track record speaks for itself, but can they gain a monopoly in boxing, where established promotional companies like Matchroom, Queensberry, Top Rank, and Golden Boy have experience in the sport and represent some of the best boxers?