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UFC CEO Dana White's surprising announcement of a new boxing promotion shook up the combat sports world but failed to receive a unanimous endorsement. While many fans are intrigued by the expected launch, which received a co-sign from Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh, former two-division champion Paulie Malignaggi disapproves.
In reaction to White and Alalshikh's new promotion, Malignaggi blasted the UFC CEO's history with controversial fighter pay. The fighter-turned-analyst claimed White would bring that habit over to boxing, which he feels is a more lucrative endeavor than MMA.
“Why would you align with a guy like Dana White, who has such a bad reputation for being a pig with the way he pays fighters,” Malignaggi said on his YouTube channel. “Remember, it was going around that Francis Ngannou was making $600,000 a fight… Dude, the guys in boxing make 30, 40, 50, 60 million dollars a fight at that level. You're going to bring in a pig like this, who has this reputation.”
Malignaggi retired from professional competition in 2017 after 44 professional fights. However, he has not yet left the sport and continues to work as an analyst for various broadcasts. Since shifting careers, he has become synonymous with his outspoken opinions and controversial takes.
Malignaggi is far from the only boxer, current or former, to criticize White. Oscar De La Hoya, Jake Paul, Tyson Fury and several others have taken their fair share of shots at the UFC CEO, who never previously hesitated to denounce the sweet science.
Dana White, Turki Alalshikh's new boxing promotion
While White might not have the respect of many members of the boxing community, Alalshikh is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures of the modern era. Over the past year, Alalshikh's growing impact on the sport has become increasingly prominent.
Details remain scarce, but White and Alalshikh promised their new promotion would alter boxing's current landscape. White stated his promotion would follow the UFC model, where “the best fight the best” and work to eliminate many of the current issues within boxing.
The unnamed promotion, which will fall under the TKO Group Holdings banner, will be White's second attempt at a boxing promotion. The former manager previously attempted to launch ‘Zuffa Boxing,' which he called off before even putting on an event due to his claim of the sport being “screwed up and broken.”
After announcing the launch on social media, White and Alalshikh dove deeper into their new partnership on ‘The Pat McAfee Show.' There, the latter indirectly stated the promotion's debut event is targeted for September 12, the same day Alalshikh initially announced would be the date of Canelo Alvarez's super fight with Terence Crawford. Given Alvarez's recent deal with Riyadh Season, many speculate if the super middleweight champion would be the promotion's first big-name fighter.
