### Dana White’s Quotes on Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford
Dana White, because the promoter for Zuffa Boxing and host of the Riyadh Season Card occasion, has been vocal throughout struggle week main as much as the September 13, 2025, bout at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Beneath is a compilation of his key quotes from varied media interviews, press conferences, and appearances, specializing in the struggle’s significance, promotion, and associated boxing matters. I’ve included context the place related, together with some information bits concerning the occasion and broader boxing panorama.
#### On Why the Struggle Needed to Occur and Its Historic Significance
White has emphasised the rarity of two prime pound-for-pound fighters going through off, crediting Turki Alalshikh for making it doable. In an interview with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson:
– “That is what makes this such a terrific struggle for struggle followers.”
– “To have a terrific struggle, what’s at stake? It’s no totally different than the Tremendous Bowl or any of those huge huge sporting occasions. What’s at stake?”
– “When you’ve got a man like Crawford who may keep in his lane, go down as the best in his division… however to maneuver up two weight courses to need to show himself and for Canelo to simply accept… That is what all of us dream of as struggle followers. In order that’s why I name this as soon as in a lifetime struggle cuz actually no person does this, proper?”
– “The way it took place was Turki Alalshikh from Saudi Arabia put this struggle collectively, then hit me up and mentioned, ‘I would like you to be the promoter of this occasion.’ And also you mentioned, ‘Okay, as a result of Dana, look what you do within the UFC and that is what we wish within the UFC. You don’t enable someone to attempt to handpick and cherry decide guys… In the event you’re the primary contender and you bought a belt, you combating the primary contender.’”
– “What I hate is debate. I hate debate… There’s just one approach to discover out… All of the solutions, all of the questions might be answered on Saturday within the ring.”
**Information Bit:** The struggle is being streamed dwell and free on Netflix globally, marking a shift from conventional PPV fashions. White has promoted it closely on X, calling it a “as soon as in a lifetime” occasion.
#### On the Struggle Purse and Gate Expectations
White has hinted at large payouts with out giving precise figures, whereas touting the occasion’s industrial success:
– “Think about what it will take for Canelo to struggle Crawford, and for a man to maneuver weight courses, who’s undefeated.” (When requested if it’s $100 million for Canelo) “Most likely.”
– “My first struggle ever – I’ve been speaking about boxing for a very long time – is Canelo Crawford, one of many greatest fights ever. [It is] actually one of many greatest fights ever. The third greatest gate within the historical past of boxing, and it’s the largest gate ever in a stadium. It’s superior and surreal on the identical time.”
**Information Bit:** The dwell gate is projected to be the third-highest in fight sports activities historical past, behind solely Mayweather-McGregor and one other main boxing occasion, highlighting the struggle’s draw regardless of Crawford transferring up two weight courses.
#### On the Struggle Model and Prediction
White predicts an aggressive showdown, contrasting it with typical boxing matches:
– “Crawford will go proper at Canelo & PROMISES A WAR.”
– Referring to the undercard: “In the event you have a look at this undercard on Saturday evening, all younger up and coming guys which can be undefeated, all combating.”
**Information Bit:** Crawford, undefeated at 40-0, hasn’t fought in 14 months and is arising from welterweight, whereas Canelo (61-2-2) is defending his tremendous middleweight titles. Critics be aware Canelo appeared subpar in his final outing in opposition to Edgar Berlanga.
#### On Occasion Presentation and Modifications to Boxing
White goals to use UFC-style effectivity to boxing occasions, criticizing sluggish pacing:
– “I like when the evening strikes quick.”
– “Proper now, whenever you watch a boxing occasion, they’ll have one struggle, then there’s a podcast. Then there’s one other struggle, and there’s a podcast, and the evening will get dragged out. It’s unhealthy sufficient for the folks at house watching on TV. The folks which can be dwell, it needs to be insane.”
– “I haven’t been to a struggle in years. The final struggle that I went to was at MGM and it was Tyson Fury and (Deontay) Wilder. It was the worst expertise that I’ve ever had at any occasion. Nice struggle – and I’ve been to love, small, sh*tty reveals that had been manner higher run than that one was.”
**Information Bit:** White is dealing with promotion, manufacturing, occasion operations, and PR for the cardboard, promising a faster-paced present with out extreme desk evaluation between fights to maintain vitality excessive.
#### On Broader Points in Boxing
White critiqued boxing’s construction, contrasting it with UFC:
– “What you’ve seen is… folks have been speaking concerning the demise of boxing for over 30 years, however what you’ve got seen is there’s no tv deal proper now for boxing on the market… It doesn’t work. You may’t construct… All these fights really feel like a going out of enterprise sale.”
– “Right here’s the factor about boxing… everyone’s undefeated. Proper now, within the UFC, if you happen to’re undefeated like Jon Jones… meaning one thing. However although within the UFC, if a man has one loss, you don’t discard it. It looks like now in boxing, you probably have one loss, you’re not any good… Sugar Ray had losses. Muhammad had losses… Why did they’ve losses? As a result of they fought one of the best.”
– “The fighters right now don’t need to take a loss as a result of it messes up being the A-side. It messes up with the ability to command a certain quantity in your purse… That’s all it comes all the way down to.”
**Information Bit:** Boxing lacks steady TV offers, counting on streaming pickups, which White sees as unsustainable in comparison with UFC’s mannequin.
#### On the Press Convention Alternate with Reporter Sean Zittel
In the course of the last press convention, White clashed with a reporter over TKO’s efforts to amend the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act:
– “Effectively, that is clearly a protracted dialogue. If you wish to speak to me about that, arrange an interview. This isn’t about me and my enterprise. It’s about these two guys on Saturday evening.”
– “Hear, I get it, you desire a showboat proper now. Arrange an interview with me if that is actually what you need to speak about.”
– “If in case you have questions for these two, ask ’em and you may arrange an interview with me.”
– “Hear, if you wish to be an asshole, let’s do it in personal and we are able to do an interview. In the event you wanna showboat, I get it. If in case you have questions for these two which can be combating on Saturday, that’s a special story.”
– “This isn’t a dialogue to have at a press convention for these two which can be going to struggle on Saturday, two legends. If you wish to arrange an interview with me and ask me these questions, let’s do it one-on-one, and you may ask me something you need.”
– “You have got a query for these two? No, beat it.”
**Information Bit:** The alternate highlighted tensions over TKO’s lobbying to switch the Ali Act for extra UFC-like management in boxing. Canelo interjected jokingly with “Struggle, struggle, struggle!” amid viewers boos.
### Extra Quotes on Dana White’s New League (Zuffa Boxing)
Dana White has been discussing his entry into boxing via Zuffa Boxing, a enterprise underneath TKO Group Holdings, usually in partnership with Turki Alalshikh. This league goals to restructure boxing with a UFC-like mannequin, specializing in constructing stars, unified belts, and constant matchmaking. Beneath are compiled quotes from interviews, together with a latest Vegas PBS look, the place he outlines plans beginning in 2026.
#### On the Construction and Mannequin of Zuffa Boxing
– “We’re going to have the essential weight courses that began all the things. There’s going to be one belt. It’ll be just like the UFC, the mannequin that we …”
– “And mainly in 26, I’m going to begin my present. What I’m gonna do is just like the contender collection. The most effective will struggle one of the best. Undefeated guys will struggle undefeated guys and what you’ll care about is your first evening of a match, not simply the primary occasion.”
– “That is the way you construct an NFL or NBA. That is the way it’s achieved. I really feel like we’re ranging from scratch …”
– “We should now have it’s regular to lose some fights in boxing.”
– “Sure — it’s Zuffa.”
#### On Constructing Fighters and Commencement System
– “So I construct stars, placed on nice fights. Then these guys graduate and struggle with Sheikh Turki.”
– “They decide how a lot they receives a commission. Okay, so you’ll assist increase these boxers after which as soon as they attain the potential of a Canelo, they’re gonna make huge cash with Saudi Arabia. Yeah, they will make huge cash right here too, contemplating the place they’re.”
#### On Fighter Pay and Comparisons to Boxing
– “All people likes to throw the fighter pay on the market, but no person does their homework. It’s simply enjoyable little sound chunk.”
– “Most guys that struggle in boxing make $100 round. Some guys they’ll struggle for a title for $15,000. So everyone talks however no person does their homework. These guys which can be combating in my league are going to receives a commission.”
#### On Launch and Partnerships
– “Superior, all the things goes good – we had a terrific name yesterday with Netflix; I’m excited to work with them.”
– “And right here we’re — my first boxing struggle is a once-in-a-lifetime struggle with two of the best of all time.”
– “Er, no – there are tales being written on the market [about me and boxing], however no… I noticed that article; I feel that article was extremely untimely and if there was a deal achieved, then it will have been introduced, and you’d have had quotes from me. However there’s no quotes from me, or the UFC, or something.”
#### On Amenities and Enlargement
– “I feel that you could possibly see numerous issues at The Apex after the growth.”
– “The Apex goes to be unhealthy*** when it’s achieved – it’s like a $26-30 million growth so it’s going to be very good.”
**Information Bit:** Zuffa Boxing has reportedly secured 60 to 70 boxers already. The Canelo-Crawford struggle serves as its debut occasion, with plans for a full launch in 2026 that includes developmental fights much like UFC’s Contender Sequence. Critics like Eddie Hearn have pushed again, saying it’s not a revolutionary format.
