Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the WBC, holds unfavorable memories regarding Zuffa Boxing’s inaugural event featuring Canelo Alvarez vs. Terrence Crawford. In September last year, UFC President Dana White and Torki Alarcik organized a major boxing occasion where Alvarez and Crawford battled for the undisputed super middleweight title. This marked White’s significant initial entry into boxing promotions under the TKO Boxing name, later rebranded as Zuffa Boxing. While many fans are eager to witness White’s influence on boxing, not everyone supports his vision for the sport.
Since White’s involvement, he has sparked controversy over his efforts to revise the Muhammad Ali Act, leading to strained relations with sanctioning bodies like the WBC and WBA, especially over the “One Belt” concept. At the Canelo-Crawford event, Sulaiman and representatives from the WBO, WBA, and IBO were denied proper access, including credentials to enter the ring, locker room, or commission desk. In an interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Sulaiman described this treatment as “very bad” and expressed disappointment over being relegated to the public area without explanation. He maintained that officials attending such events are there to work, not for leisure, and reiterated his criticism of White’s push to amend the Muhammad Ali Act, which has caused friction between them.
Despite these challenges, Zuffa Boxing has signed multiple high-profile fighters recently, like Jay Opetaia, who currently holds two cruiserweight belts and hopes to soon compete for the undisputed title. Sulaiman conveyed a willingness to collaborate with Zuffa Boxing going forward, provided they adhere to established rules and regulatory structures. He stated, “If they want to do a unification fight, if they want to promote boxing, they are welcome. Of course, I want to work with them, but they have to follow the rules and structure.”
Fan Take:
This story highlights the tension between traditional boxing authorities and new promoters like Dana White entering the scene, which could reshape how the sport is governed and marketed. For fight fans, the evolving dynamic promises fresh matchups and promotional approaches but also raises questions about maintaining boxing’s integrity and regulatory standards.
