Eddie Hearn is not the least bit impressed by Zuffa Boxing creating its own title belt.
UFC CEO Dana White has become the face of Zuffa Boxing, and he has put over the importance of the promotion’s own championship. White has insisted that his goal isn’t to run boxing’s long-running sanctioning bodies out of town. Still, he’s made it clear that only Zuffa Boxing and Ring Magazine belts will be deemed worthy in his promotion.
Since White began making moves in the sweet science, Hearn of Matchroom Boxing has been at odds with the UFC boss despite mutual respect. The longtime promoter has doubled down during an interview with iFL TV. Hearn put the Zuffa Boxing championship on blast (via MMAFighting).
“That is the cringiest shit I’ve ever seen,” Hearn said. “You know I would never do that, but I was just laughing because I was reading about, whenever it is, Jai Opetaia fighting Brandon Glanton for the Zuffa championship of the world, and I was thinking, ‘Do you know what? I could just do that.’ That would be quite amusing. Why don’t we do an iFL one as well?”
Hearn went as far as to say the creation of a title unique to one promotion is a slap in the face to boxing’s history.
“Do you think I would disrespect boxing that much where I would say, we are going to bring out the ‘Matchroom Boxing World championship?’” Hearn said. “My ego’s out of control, that would have to be—That’s beyond anything I could ever fathom or ever bring myself to do.”
Zuffa Boxing is planning to hold its third event on Sunday inside the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Headlining the card will be a heavyweight clash between Efe Ajagba and former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin.
Do you think Zuffa Boxing’s own title will help or hurt the promotion? Share your opinion in the comment section below.