Eddie Hearn Rips Dana White Over Proposed Muhammad Ali Act Change, ‘Fake Belts’

Eddie Hearn half-jokingly anointed Jaron “Boots” Ennis boxing’s highest-paid fighter per second after his two-minute demolition of Uisma Lima on Saturday night in Philadelphia.
Ennis’ promoter requested a discount once Ennis easily disposed of Lima in their fight for the WBA interim super welterweight title at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Hearn laughed it off when an incredulous Ennis interjected and noted the 28-year-old deserves to be well compensated.
Matchroom Boxing’s chairman took a much more serious tone when Dana White’s name was mentioned during Ennis’ post-fight press conference. Hearn made it clear he has no interest in doing business with Zuffa Boxing, the new promotional company UFC’s president and CEO has guided into the marketplace.

“We’re real boxing,” Hearn said. “I’m serious. We don’t wanna change the ring, we don’t wanna change the Muhammad Ali Act. This is how we work, with an open book, with Boots and with [Ennis’ adviser] Everett [McNeely] and the team. I don’t wanna hide the revenue from the show. These guys get to see it, and Boots is making a lotta money. And he deserves a lotta money, because he’s a star.”

Hearn has been critical of the economic model Zuffa Boxing plans to implement in boxing because he doesn’t believe the UFC’s standard suits boxing. The British promoter doesn’t think boxing needs more titles, either, despite Zuffa Boxing’s plan to award its own belts for fights on its cards.

Paramount announced September 29 that Paramount+ will stream monthly Zuffa Boxing shows starting in January as part of a long-term agreement. CBS, which Paramount also owns, could eventually broadcast Zuffa Boxing events on network television in the United States as well.

Hearn has been a vocal opponent of Zuffa Boxing’s practices.

“In boxing, the majority of the revenue from the show goes to the fighter,” Hearn said. “In MMA, the majority of revenue from the show goes to the promoter. Good luck to [White]. I wouldn’t moan. But that’s not how we work in boxing. And I’m not interested in a fake belt. I’m not interested in changing the Muhammad Ali Act. I’m not interested in changing the shape of the ring or the rules.

“What I’m interested in is the greatness of the sport of boxing. And what you’re looking at here [Ennis] is the greatness of the sport of boxing. I wanna see fighters like Boots, who I believe can go down as generational greats, like Hagler, like Hearns, like Whitaker, like all these great fighters – he is of the same ability. And our belts matter.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.