Dana White targets October for the launch of Zuffa Boxing
Dana White is finally ready to get into the boxing business.
For the past couple of years, the UFC president has teased an eventual move into boxing with plans to launch a promotion tied to Zuffa, which is the parent company to the UFC under current owners Endeavor.
White has never been shy about expressing his opinions with the problems he’s seen in boxing while remaining a loyal fan to the sport his entire life.
Now he plans on using a more UFC-centric model for Zuffa Boxing and White now has a targeted launch date for the promotion later this year.
“I’ve hired a guy to come in and run the boxing side,” White said recently. “Actually over here on the other side of my office, construction is going on, we’re building offices and a war room and all the things that we’re going to need for this thing to start running in October.
“I’m hoping to have Zuffa Boxing fully functional and running by October.”
A big part of White’s plan for Zuffa Boxing involved the completion of the new UFC Apex in Las Vegas, which will likely serve as the primary home for the promotion for now.
The UFC Apex is a massive facility that also includes an arena for live fights, which is where the current Dana White Contender Series takes place and it’s also the location for the upcoming relaunch for “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show.,
The UFC Apex also has a fully functional production studio, which means all aspects of promotion as well as broadcast needs can be handled out of that lone facility.
As of now, White hasn’t made any definitive announcements regarding the fighters who will be signed to Zuffa Boxing or a broadcast partner where the fights will be shown. It’s possible at launch, Zuffa Boxing could air exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.
With October just two months away, White’s ambitious plans to get into the boxing business are obviously moving fast so further details could be revealed at any time.