At Thursday’s pre-fight press conference, reporter Sean Zittel pressed Dana White on the possibility of altering the Muhammad Ali Reform Act. With Saturday’s historic card marking Zuffa Boxing’s debut, White was determined to keep the spotlight fixed on the fighters, not himself. Rather than engage, the UFC president shut the line of questioning down, telling Zittel to “beat it” unless he had something for Canelo Alvarez or Terence Crawford. Zittel ultimately agreed to take the matter up privately, but the tense exchange had already left its mark.

The proposed Ali Act amendments, which call for the creation of Unified Boxing Organizations (UBO), have stirred unease among fans and fighters alike. Unlike in MMA, where the UFC operates both as promoter and sanctioning body, boxing’s structure makes such consolidation a thorny issue. The controversy has only grown in the wake of the UFC’s recent antitrust settlement. Still, when White refused to be drawn into the debate on boxing’s biggest stage, one UFC figure publicly praised him for standing firm in the face of the challenge.

Dana White thrives in confrontation

Yesterday, on his show Beyond the Fight, Chael Sonnen revisited the tense exchange between reporter Sean Zittel and Dana White at the Canelo vs. Crawford press conference. He described Zittel as “a very handsome guy, very well spoken,” but pointed out that the reporter’s question was deliberately confrontational. Zittel, Sonnen noted, went straight at the UFC CEO by challenging him on the Ali Act and past lawsuits involving the UFC. Chael admitted the line of questioning came off as “nasty,” but also credited Zittel for pulling it off with a certain charm.

Dana White, however, didn’t let the moment slide. As Sonnen recounted, White immediately called him out: “Yeah, you looking to be a je-k. You wanna talk about this? I am a CEO. I got to deal with tough questions. Fine. You call my Office. I will tell you right now. I will give you an interview and we will do this. But that’s not what it is. This isn’t time to ask me questions about my business, about lawsuits. This is a time to ask a question of Canelo and of Crawford.” Sonnen praised that response as “a perfect answer by Dana.”

The back-and-forth didn’t end there. Zittel pushed further, even insisting he’d follow up, despite not being guaranteed another turn at the microphone. Sonnen noted that White matched his tone without backing down: “He did not go above this guy, but he did not come under him. He went head-to-head.”

While Dana White drew praise for standing his ground during the press conference, his debut as a boxing promoter also sparked sharp criticism. At Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night, members of the media voiced frustration over poor press accommodations, especially given White’s promise to deliver one of the most historic nights the sport had ever seen. So what exactly happened?

Dana White misses the mark on media section

BoxingScene reported that their journalist, Lance Pugmire, was denied accreditation for the fight due to what was described as a “strained relationship with multiple stakeholders.” If that wasn’t enough, Dana White soon found himself in another controversy. Reporter Dan Rafael posted a photo of the boxing ring from his seat at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, writing simply: “Media section for the night. #CaneloCrawford #boxing.” The image alone set off another wave of backlash.

What was supposed to be a “once in a lifetime” fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford left many members of the media frustrated. Instead of their usual ringside placement, reporters were moved to what appeared to be the farthest section of the venue. From Rafael’s view, the ring was barely visible, forcing journalists to rely almost entirely on the stadium’s Jumbotron to cover the fight.

Word quickly spread that the decision may have been made to free up more ringside space for paying fans. While that strategy maximized ticket sales, it also fueled criticism that the move came at the expense of the media, who play a key role in promoting and covering such events. The fact that this was Dana White’s first major effort as a boxing promoter only intensified scrutiny, especially after he had promised one of the sport’s most historic nights.

Despite the backlash, the magnitude of Alvarez vs. Crawford and the legacy at stake for both fighters overshadowed the logistical missteps. Fans still tuned in, proving the appeal of the bout was strong enough to outweigh media frustrations. Yet, for those covering the event live, the distance from the ring turned into one of the main storylines outside the ropes, and it quickly had fans talking. That said, do you think Dana White will be able to promote his next boxing fight properly?