Podcast: UFC's Dana White interview on new boxing venture
Plus: Jonas-Price preview; news of the week; fight anniversary memories
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It’s a very slow boxing weekend with just the all-women’s Boxxer card on Friday of note, and we previewed it. But there is also my in-depth interview with UFC president and CEO Dana White on this week’s announcement that he will officially enter boxing promotion under a deal with Saudi Arabian officials. We also covered several notable news items of the week and looked back on a milestone fight anniversary.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
Preview of the Natasha Jonas-Lauren Price women’s three-belt welterweight unification fight and WBC women’s lightweight titlist Caroline Dubois’ defense against Bo Mi Re Shin in the co-feature on Friday night in London.
The announcement that TKO, the parent company of UFC and WWE, has signed a multi-year deal to oversee a new boxing promotional company backed by Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh and Sela that will see UFC president and CEO Dana White and WWE president Nick Khan run the venture that could dramatically impact the sport.
My extensive interview with White in which we covered a lot: After years of talking about getting into boxing promotion, why now; thoughts on building a new business; what still need to be done before doing their first events; efforts to secure a media rights deal; will the outfit promote the Canelo Alvarez-Terrence Crawford event in September; what does he think he can do to improve the sport; what will be different about promoting boxing compared to MMA; having no interest in working with the sanctioning bodies or other promoters, and using fewer weight classes; what’s No. 1 on his to do list; and more.
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My reporting on the letter sent by Lamont Roach’s attorney to the New York State Athletic Commission seeking to have his controversial draw with Gervonta Davis changed to a Roach victory.
MVP’s announcement on Thursday that Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano III is set for July 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York live on Netflix.
Announcement that Hall of Famer Jim Lampley will return to ringside to call fights for the first time since HBO ended its boxing coverage in December 2018 to call Turki Alalshikh’s May 2 card in New York’s Time square headlined by Ryan Garcia-Rolando Romero.
Injured heavyweight Dillian Whyte withdrawing from his fight with Joe Joyce that was to headline Queensberry’s first show of its new DAZN deal on April 5 with Filip Hrgovic likely to replace him.
Golden Boy’s announcement that unified strawweight champion Oscar Collazo will defend against Edwin Cano in the William Zepeda-Tevin Farmer II co-feature on March 29.
My reporting that unified cruiserweight titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez will next make his WBA mandatory defense against former titlist Yuniel Dorticos in June.
Ringside memories on the 10th anniversary of the first-ever Premier Boxing Champions event, when Keith Thurman routed Robert Guerrero in an entertaining fight to retain the WBA welterweight title at the MGM Grand.
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We bring you the preview each Friday and the weekend recap each Monday. Let me know what you think of the podcast by leaving your comments.
Dana White photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa
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Great interview with Dana white dan