Dana White has big ambitions for reshaping the sport of boxing, but not all of his plans have been met with positivity.
Ahead of the planned TKO Boxing launch in 2026, White’s promotional partnership with Turki Alalshikh will kick off with a Netflix super fight on Saturday night.
Headlining at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas will be Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford’s super middleweight title fight, which will see ‘Bud’ move up two divisions to challenge the Mexican pound-for-pound legend.
For White, the bout will mark his entry into boxing promotion, a realm he has grand plans for. But one of the UFC president’s hopes has already been questioned by a legend of the Octagon.
Daniel Cormier unsure if Dana White’s Contender Series would work in boxing
White has already announced UFC-like post-fight bonuses for Saturday’s undercard and improved pacing for the Alvarez vs Crawford event, and those are not the only changes he has planned.
The UFC CEO has also revealed his intention to replicate his Contender Series format in boxing, working to eliminate the tendency for the athletes to be handed light competition in the ring en route to padded records.
Daniel Cormier, though, cast doubt over that plan during a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel.
“Dana White said he has plans to do a boxing version of the Contender Series in 2026,” Cormier said. “He said, ‘The best will fight the best, undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys, so I will build stars and I will put on great fights.’
“Does that work in boxing? … That, to me, sounds like he wants to change more. Because most boxers, especially the good ones, they don’t start seeing real competition until 18, 19, 20-0. Dana’s now saying, ‘I want these guys to fight each other and I want them to do it much sooner.’
“I don’t know, Chael. I don’t know if you can apply that to boxing,” Cormier continued. “I think that the idea is great. I just think that at a certain point, there is gonna be some — I don’t know if the kickback comes from the fighter or the other promoters.
“Deontay Wilder didn’t fight anyone real until he was over 20 fights into his career. By 20 fights, he’s already on HBO or Showtime, he’s already a big deal. So they can sell pay-per-views around him.
“I believe that is one of the ways the UFC can take from boxing…continue to build the star by having them look good against competition that may not be the (strongest). … Boxing is just different.”
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Daniel Cormier’s problem with Floyd Mayweather vs Mike Tyson
Cormier also recently had his eyes on another upcoming boxing clash.
An exhibition fight between Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson was announced earlier this month, much to the frustration of boxing fans who have no desire to see the 59-year-old former heavyweight champion back in the ring.
Tyson’s boxing match against Jake Paul on Netflix in late 2024 was widely criticized, and his latest comeback exhibition looks to be trending the same way.
Cormier gave his thoughts on Mayweather vs Tyson in a YouTube video, questioning why anyone would be interested in a bout with an “exhibition” stipulation that will likely eliminate any chance of one fighter hurting the other.
“My biggest question always, around these things, is how do guys explain (this) to the general public?” Cormier said. “It’s not going to be an actual fight, it’s going to be an exhibition. So how much in that exhibition are we supposed to believe that they’re actually fighting?
“The exhibition has to be fought at a pace and intensity level that make people go, ‘I want to watch this!’ Because when Mike fought Roy Jones, it was something I always would’ve been interested in. But when the fight happened, it felt too much like (Tyson) wasn’t trying to hurt (Jones).
“When I watch fights, I want to see people trying to hurt each other, it’s what we sign up for,” Cormier continued. “People love seeing people get f—– up.
“I don’t think those guys can promise violence…we’ve already seen Floyd do this with Logan Paul, doing these exhibitions. One thing I know we won’t see, is Mike starch Floyd.”