In Thursday’s pre-fight press conference, reporter Sean Zittel asked Dana White about him changing the Muhammad Ali Reform Act. Saturday’s historic event was, of course, Zuffa Boxing’s first stint in the sport, and White did not want any spotlight on himself. However, instead of handling the interaction, the UFC boss asked the reporter to “beat it” unless he had a question for Canelo Alvarez or Terence Crawford. While Zittel finally stepped back, accepting White’s invitation to a private interview, the damage was already done.

Moreover, BoxingScene reportedly claimed that their reporter, Lance Pugmire, was denied accreditation for the fight due to his “strained relationship with multiple stakeholders.” If these incidents were not enough, Dana White got himself into another pickle. Reporter Dan Rafael tweeted a photo of the boxing ring from his seat at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas. His take in the caption was a simple, “Media section for the night. #CaneloCrawford #boxing.” But the photo alone managed to be the catalyst for yet another controversy.

Apparently, the ‘once in a lifetime’ fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford failed to please the media present in Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night. Instead of their usual ringside seating arrangement, the entire panel was shifted to what looked like the farthest end of the room. In fact, the ring was barely visible from where Rafael was present. In a situation like this, the media personnel were forced to depend on the Jumbotron of the stadium.

According to the whispers already making rounds, the move was done to make more space for ringside seats for the fans. However, the criticism came because not only did it hurt the attending reporters, but also, ringside tickets would’ve made more money for the UFC CEO. Dana White’s involvement as a promoter, his first major venture into boxing, has only fueled the fire. Fans expected top-notch press hospitality, especially since White promised one of the sport’s most historic nights.

Dana White‘s involvement as a promoter, his first major venture into boxing, has only fueled the fire. Fans expected top-notch press hospitality, especially since White promised one of the sport’s most historic nights. Despite the criticism, this fight’s magnitude and the legacy stakes for both fighters cannot be ignored.

While some fans are dissatisfied, many are still tuning in for the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford bout, proving that the fight’s appeal outweighs the logistical issues. Still, for the journalists covering the event live, the distance from the ring has become the biggest story outside the ring, and fans are taking notes.

Another controversy raises eyebrows for Dana White

Surely, the distance left many wondering if reporters and commentators would even be able to see the fight up close without help. Fans were quick to pile on, expressing their disbelief at the setup. “Wonder if they hand out binoculars,” one user joked. The point made sense, actually. Just like for 3D movies, you’re given the glasses for the best experience, many wonder if the reporters should’ve been handed something to watch the fight the way it was intended to as well.

Another wrote, “That’s an embarrassing look for the sport. This is really the best they could do for the media? Eww.” White has already made a certain image in front of the media, especially with his Thursday interaction. Not to mention, he already has an ongoing feud with veteran reporter Ariel Helwani. Maybe he should avoid getting too many enemies on his corner.

Others chimed in with, “Can’t see s— from there,” and “Ringside has become a thing of the past,” emphasizing how wrong it was to keep the media away from the ring during such a historic bout. It looks like the positioning of the seats surely irked many fans who believed they had better seats at home.

However, it is worth noting that while several fans called out Dana White, some others defended the move. Citing the commercial realities, one asked, “Thought y’all get a free ride?” According to some who could not even get their hands on the ticket, the complaints from the media seem to be nagging. For them, media outlets should not complain about free access.

The criticism derives from the fact that this match, dubbed ‘Once in a Lifetime’, was meant to be a spectacle worthy of boxing’s rich traditions, not one that compromises coverage. But if the seating arrangements for the media were not enough, broadcasting OTT Netflix made a blunder yet again, too. For now, it will be interesting to see how Dana White gets himself out of the hole.