Following last Saturday’s event, Oscar De La Hoya has reopened his longstanding feud with UFC president Dana White.
TKO boxing kicked off its debut event with a highly anticipated clash between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford for the undisputed super middleweight crown.
Crawford, despite being labelled the underdog ahead of the bout, upset the odds to leave Allegiant Stadium as the division’s new king.
The event was also significant for Dana White, marking his first major appearance as a boxing promoter. The card did not disappoint in terms of viewership either, ranking among the top three most watched boxing events of all time, and third in men’s title fights this century.
Oscar De La Hoya takes aim at Dana White and Canelo Alvarez
White, who has been a dominant figure in MMA for years, is now looking to shift his focus to boxing. He has plans in place that are expected to take shape by 2026.
But his entry into the sport has not come without criticism. Some within the boxing community have already started questioning whether he is following through on the promises he made when first arriving.
It is not just fans who are voicing concerns either. Boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who has a long-standing rivalry with White, did not hold back in his latest comments about the UFC boss and Canelo after the event.
De La Hoya said: “I promoted Canelo’s entire career and it was a huge fluff.
“The only real fighters he’s faced were (Floyd) Mayweather, (Dmitry) Bivol and Crawford and they all toyed with him.
“Dana White didn’t have his best week, his t-shirt shrank smaller every minute especially when he was questioned about his attempt to amend the Muhammad Ali Act… TKO needs it to change so they can f— fighters over.
“After this debacle, he decides to skip the undercard and shows up in the beginning of the main event and he’s just watching the UFC on his phone, the entire time. I wonder if he regrets abandoning the UFC for a sport that doesn’t want him… Dana, Canelo, f— you.”
Dana White responds to ongoing criticism
It is not just White’s move into boxing that has been under the spotlight. The UFC has also faced questions about a supposed lack of star power in recent years.
With the retirements of big names like Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones, and Conor McGregor spending time away from the sport, there has been talk about whether the promotion still has the same level of drawing power it once did.
But White has not shied away from those conversations. He hit back strongly in a recent interview, making it clear he does not share those concerns about where the UFC stands today.
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