Dana White has doubled down on his vision to shake up boxing, this time taking aim at the sport’s weight divisions.
The UFC boss launched Zuffa Boxing back in January, following through on his vow to breathe new life into the fight game.
It’s only been a few months, but there are already changes. A new belt will be up for grabs when Jai Opetaia takes on Brandon Glanton on March 8.
White has also made it clear that Zuffa Boxing will only recognise eight weight classes going forward. Here’s how he announced it:
Zuffa Boxing adopts just 8 weight classes
While most of boxing operates with 17 weight divisions, Zuffa Boxing has gone a different route, cutting that number nearly in half.
Dana White’s new league features only eight weight classes, leaving fighters with fewer options than in traditional promotions. Here’s the full list:
Heavyweight: 200lbs+
Cruiserweight: 200lbs
Light heavyweight: 175lbs
Middleweight: 160lbs
Welterweight: 147lbs
Bantamweight: 118lbs
The promotion won’t be recognising Minimumweight (105 lbs), Light Flyweight (108 lbs), Super Flyweight (115 lbs), Super Bantamweight (122 lbs), Super Featherweight (130 lbs), Super Lightweight/Junior Welterweight (140 lbs), Super Welterweight/Junior Middleweight (154 lbs), or Super Middleweight (168 lbs).
Third Zuffa Boxing event set for this weekend
White’s second event brought a lot of action, with surprising knockouts and some viral moments that caught the eye.
The main event for the third card features Efe Ajagba (20-1-1) taking on Charles Martin (30-4-1) in a heavyweight bout.
The fight is part of an eight-bout lineup at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, taking place this Sunday evening.
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