In 30 years, the UFC has solidified itself as THE mixed martial arts promotion of the world. No other organization comes close to the standards that the UFC has set for the sport. But boxing? Well, it’s a whole different conundrum with various organizations and sanctioning bodies. Despite what looks like a confusing set up, the world of boxing pays its athletes well. But MMA? “They eat what they kill,” according to Dana White. At least in the UFC, that’s the law of the land. And the UFC head honcho thinks it’s exactly how things should be. “Believe me, these guys get paid what they’re supposed to get paid,” White told GQ back in 2022.

And speaking of problems, his latest venture? The brand-new boxing league is already raising eyebrows, and not just for the usual reasons. His vision for the sport comes with a streamlined set of weight classes. Flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not if you’re a fighter who falls into the now-vanished 160 or 168-pound divisions. In this new system, you either bulk up to 175 or shrink down to 154. No in-between. And that’s where the chaos begins.

But the bigger issue? It’s not just about weight classes, is it? It’s about control. This head honcho built the UFC into an empire by keeping all the best talent under one roof. But boxing? It’s a battlefield of rival promotions like Top Rank, Matchroom, and Premier Boxing Champions, each fiercely guarding their turf. None of them are eager to hand White the keys to their empire.

Ryan Garcia, for one, isn’t buying into White’s boxing blueprint. The 24-1-1 fighter isn’t exactly struggling to ‘eat what he kills,’ yet when asked about White stepping into the boxing business, he offered a short but telling response, “If they pay like the UFC though, we might not like it.” And he’s not wrong.

UFC fighters notoriously take home a much smaller share of revenue compared to athletes in other major sports. While ‘King Ryan’ has been cashing in on major fights, White’s reputation for keeping fighters on a tight financial leash has the boxing world skeptical. If a star like Garcia is sounding the alarm, what does that mean for the up-and-comers? Anyway, let’s talk get back to the  weight class shake-up, because fans? Oh, they have thoughts.

How does Dana White always manage to divide the fans?

Talking about the elephant in the room, or rather, the weight classes missing from it. One fan summed it up succinctly,  “RIP 160s.” Another noted, “Much agree with this one. Probably I’ll miss the 168 category. There is a huge step from 160 up to 175. Otherwise, good.” And that’s exactly the concern. Jumping from 160 to 175 pounds is a massive leap, especially when boxing has historically bridged the gap with super middleweight and cruiserweight divisions.

Others pointed out that boxing’s long-standing divisions exist for a reason. “They just forget why cruiserweight exists?” asked one fan, wondering if Dana White was simplifying too much. Another added, “I think there should be something between light heavy and heavy bc heavyweights are so much bigger than they were decades ago. Like if you can’t make 175, you gotta fight giants like Bukale (Martin Bakole).” They’ve got a point. Fighters in the heavyweight division today aren’t the same size as those from decades past. A missing weight class could force some fighters into matchups that are simply unfair.

That said, not everyone is against the idea. “Less champions and less belts makes said championships far more valuable. That’s simple.” This aligns with White’s long-standing UFC philosophy, one champion per division, no unnecessary interim belts cluttering the picture. Some fans believe that applying this model to boxing could finally bring order to a sport often criticized for its fractured title system. One fan even welcomed the change, saying, “Interesting! Dana White’s new boxing league is setting up some classic weight divisions. It’ll be exciting to see how these matchups unfold in the ring!”

So, are we about to see a UFC-style monopoly take over boxing? Is White actually “fixing” the sport? Or is this just another move in his long game to dominate yet another combat arena? More importantly, do boxing fans even want this change? Dana’s coming in swinging, and just like in the UFC, it’s eat what you kill. So, what do you think? Is this a revolution in boxing, or a colossal failure in the making? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!