Dana White Ghosts WBC President as Boxing’s Long-Standing Ritual Reported to End at Canelo vs. Crawford

Three days remain before the boxing world witnesses the spectacle Dana White and his Zuffa Boxing promise to deliver. On Saturday, September 13, Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium will host a historic clash. Will Canelo Alvarez finally seal his legacy as one of the all-time greats? Or will Terence Crawford crush his dreams and prove himself the finest boxer of the era? Across the globe, fans wait with feverish excitement.

And as with every mega event, controversy hovers nearby. For once, the ring itself seems calm. It’s outside the ropes where a storm brews. Among the belts Canelo defends Saturday night is the WBC title. But if reports hold true, the Mexico-based body’s president, Mauricio Sulaiman, who has a close relationship with Canelo, may not step into the ring to crown the victor after twelve grueling rounds. His troubles run deeper. His attempts to secure answers from Dana White appear to have gone nowhere.

Sulaiman vs. Dana White: Belt battle outside the ring

Speaking with ‘BoxingScene,’ Sulaiman admitted, “I have not spoken to Dana White. I sent him a letter a couple months ago and did not get a response. They appointed a person to communicate with the WBC, and he has not responded to that specific question. I have requested countless times, on the phone and in writing, to confirm the credentials, the seating arrangement, and the protocol for the WBC to present the belt to the winner. Without response.”

His grievance stems from reports that Dana White and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh want to abandon the time-honored tradition. For decades, heads of the sanctioning bodies have stepped into the ring to hand their belts to the champion. Now, with the launch of their new promotion, they appear ready to rewrite the norms.

Bu Sulaiman refuses to back down. “You can have two security guards in that corner trying to take me out. Because I will enter that ring.” He told ‘BoxingScene’ that it is written in the rules, regulations, and contracts that sanctioning bodies present their belts. Denying this, he warned, undermines legitimacy. To him, the idea that presidents could be barred from performing their duties is ‘unbelievable and unacceptable.’

Yet not everyone rallies to his side. Chael Sonnen, the outspoken former UFC fighter, reviewed the dispute and offered his blunt take.

A ring invasion won’t punch up your image

He acknowledged that sanctioning body presidents have long handed over belts. But he dismissed the idea that such a practice should be enshrined in law. To him, it is a tradition, not a binding right. On Sulaiman’s vow to storm the ring, Sonnen did not hold back. “Now, that’s a crime. That’s trespass. He would not have any more right to rush the ring than you would have to rush the football field or rush the court.”

Sonnen went further. The fact that the WBC president does not even know how to gain access to the stadium shows, in his eyes, how unimportant the organizers consider him. Instead of quietly projecting strength, Sulaiman admitted publicly that Dana White has ghosted him. Sonnen argued this made him look powerless, not like a heavyweight figure.

“I am going to carry out business as usual, which is to be in the ring for the cameras and the celebration and the crowning of the champion,” said the former UFC fighter. But by saying his calls went unanswered and by threatening to storm the ring, Sulaiman only projects desperation. To Sonnen, it even makes him sound willing to commit a crime just to prove relevance.

As Canelo and Crawford prepare to trade blows, the clash outside the ropes adds another layer of intrigue.

What’s your take on the issue?