Eddie Hearn is unimpressed with the claim that Dana White is already one of the most successful boxing promoters in the history of the sport.
Leading into the big Canelo vs. Crawford fight, White crowed that he was behind two of the three biggest boxing events in history: Mayweather vs. McGregor, and the upcoming Canelo vs. Crawford. Suck on that, boxing world! But in a new interview on the Ariel Helwani Show, the Matchroom Boxing head dismissed White’s bluster and gave credit for Canelo vs. Crawford to Saudi
boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh.
“If you really wanna come into boxing and call Mayweather McGregor one of the biggest fights of all time, please,” Hearn said. “It was an exhibition. It’s not a fight. And by the way, Crawford vs. Canelo was not Dana White’s fight. It was Turki Alalshikh’s fight, and he was invited to be the promoter.”
“Well done. Good. Well played. I’m sure you made a few quid, but let’s not get it twisted. The work that Turki Alalshikh has done in boxing paved the way for Canelo vs. Crawford. Without Turki, Canelo vs. Crawford never would have happened. In fact, it wouldn’t have even been a fight that Dana White would have considered or thought of making.”
“So well done to Dana,” he said. “Well done to TKO, but let’s give the credit of Canelo vs. Crawford to Turki Alalshikh, the man that truly paid up for the fight, the man that truly had the vision for two generational greats to meet in a ring. Because I didn’t believe that fight could get made. He went out and made it.”
“And yep, Dana turned up and sat in the front row and went to the press conference. But, you know, if you’re taking credit for Mayweather vs. McGregor and a fight that ultimately someone else paid for, there’s a long way to go.”
Hearn’s point on Canelo vs. Crawford is a solid one, but he missed out on the true reason we don’t give White credit for McGregor vs. Mayweather: Dana didn’t do anything to make that fight happen — he was one of the big reasons it almost didn’t happen. McGregor had to do all the legwork and threaten to use the Muhammad Ali act to break free of his contract before UFC would even consider allowing the fight to happen. So to be clear: McGregor vs. Mayweather happened because of McGregor, in spite of White’s efforts.
The Matchroom Boxing head also isn’t sure White, TKO, and Turki Alalshikh are going to want to keep working together over the long run. White is used to having complete control over every aspect of his events. That’s not how it works when you’re partnered with Turki.
“Turki Alalshikh, I’m just being straight, he doesn’t really allow you to do what you want to do,” Hearn told Ariel Helwani. “He does what he wants to do, and you follow. And I’ve learned over the years of working with him, your your advice mainly falls on deaf ears, but I’ve also learned that he’s definitely not an idiot. He’s a very smart guy, and there’s a method to the madness.”
“But the traditional ways of going on sale through tickets or announcing the press conference or even announcing the fight is just not the traditional way with him. And I think they’re gonna clash, but money’s money, innit? It depends if sometimes you’re prepared to keep your mouth quiet and do as you’re told. I am. Are they?”
