Zuffa Boxing may be taking another step to becoming a reality and likely a major player in the industry.
Mike Coppinger of The Athletic reports that Zuffa has hired an individual to run Zuffa Boxing.
Sources tell @TheAthleticBOX Dana White has hired a person to run his boxing division (unofficially referred to as Zuffa Boxing) as UFC president looks to enter the space. It’s unknown who the hire is, but person will be tasked with helping Dana make boxing venture a major player
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) July 24, 2019
White has intimated the promotion’s foray into boxing and one might expect Zuffa Boxing to become a disrupter in an industry that is ‘antiquated’ as described by Coppinger.
White was in the middle of the Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather fight in August 2017 which landed the largest PPV buy rate in the history of combat sports. During that promotion, White collaborated with Al Haymon and Showtime for that fight but will be competing with the likes of PBC, Top Rank, Matchroom, Showtime and DAZN.
Payout Perspective:
Certainly, White is a polarizing figure in the sport of MMA and has received a fair amount of criticism balanced with praise for making the UFC the power it is today. With boxing on an ascension due in part to content-hungry digital platforms such as ESPN+ and DAZN, the prospects of another promotion entering are good. Yet, one has to wonder if there is enough talent for White to sign enough boxers to his brand.
The good news for Zuffa Boxing is that it has a built-in infrastructure in place. The construction of the Vegas-based UFC Apex gym and Performance Institute are enticements for boxers. One would think that the gym and training facility would benefit boxers and the gym could be a place to broadcast shows either through a television/digital partner or through Fight Pass. No word on a launch date, but with the announcement of a hire, one would suggest that the move to boxing is happening sooner than later.
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