The criticism came as reporters asked about the IBF’s decision earlier in the week to withdraw recognition of Opetaia’s title defense during fight week. The sanctioning body had initially approved the bout before reversing course shortly before the event, leaving the IBF title off the line.
Dana said the situation reflected issues he has noticed since entering the sport.
“This sport is broken for a reason,” Dana said during the press conference. “Everybody is a bunch of rinky-dink.”
White continued the criticism while describing the people involved in running the sport.
“These people are so bad at what they do,” Dana said.
Dana also noted that Opetaia had already paid the sanctioning fee before the IBF withdrew recognition of the title defense.
Dana said his early experience in boxing has left him surprised by how the sport operates and how many of its issues have remained unresolved.
White has said Zuffa plans to apply the same promotional model that helped build the UFC. That approach focuses on signing fighters that the promotion views as among the best in their divisions and staging regular events built around recognizable names.
Dana also pointed to the number of promoters and sanctioning bodies operating in boxing as one reason the sport has struggled to address many of its long-standing issues. Several organizations sanction world titles in the sport, often requiring separate approval and fees when belts are placed on the line.
White has argued that the structure creates complications when trying to stage major fights. The IBF situation surrounding the Opetaia bout was one of the first disputes between Zuffa Boxing and a traditional sanctioning body since the promotion entered the sport.
The comments reflected Dana’s view that many of boxing’s problems stem from the way the sport has been run.
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