De La Hoya Challenges Dana White’s Boxing Plans
In 2024, Oscar De La Hoya criticized Dana White’s plans to enter boxing and argued that the sport’s economics would demand a different approach. White’s Zuffa Boxing launched in January 2026. By September, White’s promotion and De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions were co-promoting Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn, even as the two promoters’ feud remained public.
The original challenge
The 2024 remarks targeted White’s ambitions as a boxing promoter, not a proposed bout between the two men. De La Hoya questioned whether White’s business model would work in boxing and said fighters would need to be paid accordingly. The comments followed years of public criticism between the promotion executive and the Golden Boy founder. Contemporary coverage reported the exchange and White’s response.
White enters boxing with Zuffa
White’s boxing project moved from talk to operation in 2026. Zuffa Boxing held its debut card in January and staged further events that year. The report from the debut press conference describes White’s plans for the new promotion.
Rivals co-promote Garcia vs. Benn
On September 12, 2026, Zuffa Boxing and Golden Boy co-promoted Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn in Las Vegas. Garcia stopped Benn in the second round and retained his WBC welterweight title. De La Hoya did not attend. He later said he believed he and his team would be disrespected or set up at the event; White denied trying to embarrass him and said De La Hoya knew his seating arrangements. De La Hoya’s explanation and White’s response give both sides of the disagreement.
Business and bad blood
The co-promotion showed that the feud did not prevent their companies from working together on a major fight. Their public dispute continued around the event, while the original question—how White would compete in boxing—now has a concrete answer: Zuffa Boxing is active, and Golden Boy has shared a card with it.
Sources
- cbssports.com
- ufc.com
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
