Zuffa Boxing’s first card on these shores comes with plenty of local interest, with local hero Chris Billam-Smith topping the bill and stablemate Lee Cutler in action.
White, too, will be at the Bournemouth International Centre tonight as Zuffa makes its United Kingdom bow, with much build-up.
Billam-Smith was keen for his first fight under the promotion to be in his home town, as he boasts an unbeaten record at the BIC and in the town.
And White exclusively revealed to the Daily Echo that it had not taken much convincing for him to bring the show to Dorset.
(Image: Richard Crease)
“That’s sort of our mentality and what we do,” he said.
“We’re going to travel this thing all over the world over the next five years.”
The crowds really get behind CBS at home: “Another thing that doesn’t need to be told to me.
“I’ve been in the UK, all over the UK, putting on fights.
“The fans are insane and incredible. I love it.”
Dana White (Image: Richard Crease)
Billam-Smith is one of a number of world-class cruiserweights that Zuffa have been snapping up.
White likes what he’s seen from the Gentleman.
“Obviously a very talented guy, ranked number three in the world by Ring, and interesting enough, undefeated when he fights at home,” he said.
“If you look at what we did with the UFC, when we bought the company, boxing was only in Las Vegas and Atlantic City because that’s where all the money was with the casinos.
“When we bought the UFC, we started traveling everywhere.
(Image: Richard Crease)
“We took the live event all over the world, and obviously the biggest no-brainer is when you have local guys fighting in their hometowns.”
The home favourite will meet Canadian Ryan Rozicki, and White is expecting the bout to be box office.
“It takes two to make a great fight, so Ryan Rozicki is an absolute beast,” he said.
“The records are very similar with 21-2 and 21-1. Rozicki’s got 20 knockouts. I expect this fight to be a war. Should be a great fight.
(Image: Zuffa Boxing)
“In CBS’s hometown, bringing our first fight to the UK for Zuffa Boxing, we’re obviously happy about our Sky deal too.
“It just all lines up perfectly for this event.”
He continued: “I expect it to be a great fight. I mean, literally, our goal is to put on the best fights in the world with the best versus the best and stylistically, if you look at this matchup, not just their records, but stylistically, this should be a war and should be a fun fight.”
Billam-Smith has openly said he’s eyeing up a fight with Jai Opetaia.
(Image: Zuffa Boxing)
White said he’s taking things one fight at a time, but if CBS can make a statement tonight, then he may have no option but to set up that fight.
“Well, what I see in his future is the Bournemouth fight,” he said, when asked about Billam-Smith’s future with Zuffa.
“So, he’s got Ryan Rozicki first, and obviously I’m sure Ryan feels the same way.
“I mean, everybody’s looking at Jai Opetaia right now.
“That’s the guy to fight, if CBS wins and wins in spectacular fashion and you get the fans talking about Jai Opetaia, then it’s probably what we do.”
(Image: Zuffa Boxing)
Cutler, too, is looking to make a statement at the BIC on Saturday night.
“Again, another guy with a great record, from fighting in his hometown,” White said.
“The fact that we have not only the headliner but another one of the great fighters on the card that are actually from Bournemouth is huge.
“We’re so early in this, about five months into Zuffa Boxing, and like you said, we’ve sort of snatched up all these young talented guys, so it’s going to be fun to see this play out over the next year.”
White has a couple of connections to Bournemouth, without having visited the town – he knows AFC Bournemouth owner Bill Foley, and their president of business operations, Jim Frevola, used to work at the UFC.
(Image: Richard Crease)
“[Foley is] a very, very nice, hospitable guy, but he hasn’t told me anything about the hometown!” White said, and he added: “I’ve definitely talked to him [Frevola] in the last couple of months.
“A good guy. And I’m really happy for where his career has taken him.”
Despite those connections, White doesn’t know much about the town of Bournemouth.
“That’s literally all I know about it is that it’s a coastal town on the south coast of England,” he said.
“But I look forward to seeing it.
“I’ve been just about everywhere you can go in England, but I’ve never been to Bournemouth, so I’m excited.”