They’ve been at each other’s throats in recent months, and there is even talk that they should step in the ring to settle their beef.
The rivalry between Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn and new Zuffa Boxing representative Dana White took to a more civilized public debate this week with Hall of Fame broadcaster and promoter Lou DiBella arguing White is the better promoter.
Appearing on "The Ariel Helwani Show," DiBella contended White is his choice because he takes a more developed “model and business paradigm” as UFC CEO/president as he launches his boxing venture while moving to create a new Ali Act.
“You can say it’s anti-fighter and complain the old system is better, but they know what they’re doing… and there’s not a surviving member of boxing who can say they do it better,” DiBella told Helwani.
“The old promotional system is dying and headed to death.”
Former HBO executive DiBella counts himself as a casualty, having left the sport to focus on the ownership of his minor-league baseball teams.
Harvard-educated DiBella lauded the more established Hearn for being better positioned for success in his native U.K. and for being strongly capitalized.
“Eddie is not going away,” DiBella said.
“Do I think Dana has a smarter, more effective, more intelligent, better capitalized, more television connected relationship than Eddie? It’s not even a question,” DiBella said.
Backed strongly financially by Saudi Arabia holdings, Zuffa Boxing has staged a handful of small shows at the UFC’s Meta Apex in Las Vegas after promoting the massive Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford fight at Allegiant Stadium in September.
Since then, Zuffa has also rounded up former Hearn-promoted champions Jai Opetaia and Richardson Hitchins along with 2024 title challenger Edgar Berlanga and expected welterweight title contender Conor Benn.
Hearn’s Matchroom has built Anthony Joshua to a global sporting figure while readying for a busy June with unbeatens Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Jaron “Boots” Ennis headlining major cards in Phoenix and New York.
Trainer and guest analyst Stephen “Breadman” Edwards said on Wednesday’s edition of ProBox TV’s "BoxingScene Today" that he was surprised by DiBella selecting White over Hearn after criticizing White for lobbying to change the Ali Act that provided financial protections for fighters.
“Lou is an intelligent guy. … I don’t think Dana has done enough in boxing to say he’s a better promoter than Eddie Hearn. Zuffa was just born,” Edwards said. “[DiBella] said it with purpose.”
Analyst and former DiBella-promoted welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi criticized DiBella over his choice of White and over his own work as a promoter, calling DiBella “conniving.”
“He sucked at this business and it left him bitter about the old guard [of boxing promoters]. They outdid him,” Malignaggi said. “We haven’t seen enough of Dana White in boxing. So far, he’s kind of average.
“There is a big war chest, but he could still drop the whole bag and fail.”
Malignaggi said White has to prove he can handle a different combat sports model that is “more cemented in,” compared to what White built with the UFC.
“Right now, Eddie Hearn is the better promoter. He’s created more champions. He’s doing more … he’s made Matchroom a bigger company,” Malignaggi said. “To compete [for White] is one thing. To unseat is completely different.”
He said DiBella often reveals agendas with his opinions.
“Take some of those opinions with a grain of salt … there’s something to sift out,” Malignaggi said.
