‘Worst in the world’ – Eddie Hearn warns Dana White to ‘sleep with one eye open’ as UFC boss joins boxing world with TKO
EDDIE HEARN has warned UFC supremo Dana White he’ll have to “sleep with one eye open” following his venture into the boxing world.
White has been installed as the head of the TKO Group’s Saudi and Ring Magazine-backed boxing league, which was officially announced earlier this month.
Saudi bigwig Turki Alalshikh has tasked White with the job of implementing the UFC model in the league, the name of which is still a mystery.
White has helped transform the UFC from a failing promotion into a multi-billion pound behemoth, but fellow promoter Hearn has warned the American that boxing is a different kettle of fish.
The Matchroom chief told iFL TV: “Boxing is the worst business in the world.
“I hope these guys have got the appetite to be up all f*****g night and sleep with one eye open every single day.
“Because you’re not going to get control where you can go to bed at 10 o’clock [at night] and wake up at 8 o’clock [in the morning] and expect the industry and your situation to be exactly the same.
“It doesn’t work like that. Every f****r is out there hustling every single day. Guess what? I’m one of them.”
White, 55, is no stranger to the intense demands of running a successful promotion and sacrificing sleep and time with loved ones.
But he admits his schedule is now busier than ever, saying during the UFC 313 post-fight press conference: “I thought I was busy, I didn’t realize what busy was until the last couple of weeks.
“We’re gonna find out this year [if I can handle it all], this year is gonna be the.
“We’re gonna find out this year, we’ll see how long I can run this hard.”
The official announcement of the TKO Group’s venture into the boxing world sent shockwaves throughout the sport, as did Alalshikh’s vow to “crush” rival promotions.
But Alalshikh has somewhat backtracked on his apparent declaration of war, saying: “The relationship between Riyadh Season, Ring Magazine and the promoters will continue at least for the next one or two years.
“This depends on their reactions and about the options they will give us. If it is good for us, we will do it.
“In this situation, I like what Matchroom and Eddie Hearn are doing.
“Eddie is still discussing with me and my team about making the big fights around the world.
“He has decided to continue to work with us, and we will continue to do business with him.
“Also, we have had a lot of discussions with Golden Boy to have some of their fighters on different cards.
“Me and my team are always happy to work with the promoters in boxing if they give us good options.”