UFC 317 is set to take place this weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, coinciding with Jake Paul’s return to the boxing ring against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Despite the scheduling conflict and potential audience competition, UFC president Dana White expressed little concern.
“I didn’t even f****** know that, who is he fighting?” White said when asked about Paul’s fight. “I didn’t even know he was fighting so that’s how concerned I am about it.”
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Jake Paul, who transitioned from YouTube stardom to professional boxing, will face former world champion Chavez Jr. at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The event is promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. For fans in the United Kingdom, ring walks are expected around 4 a.m. local time on Sunday, June 29.
At the same time, UFC 317 will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, with the fighters anticipated to enter the Octagon around 5 a.m. UK time.Ongoing feud between Dana White and Jake PaulWhite and Paul have engaged in a long-standing public feud. White previously accused Paul and Triller Fight Club of exaggerating pay-per-view numbers, distancing the UFC’s operations from celebrity boxing events.
“There is a market for that. That is not what I do. That’s not what I do,” White told CBS Sports. “People want to see that, and it’s great, and this kid’s going to make a couple bucks before this ride is over.”
Their conflict escalated in early 2022 when Paul released a diss track that criticized White and the UFC, citing fighter pay and alleged treatment of athletes. The feud further intensified when White dismissed Paul’s credibility after his loss to Tommy Fury.
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“I stopped paying attention to Jake Paul when he lost to [Tommy] Fury,” White said. “When he fought somebody that was his age and actually boxed, he lost.”
Dana White expands into boxing with Saudi-backed promotion
White is also expanding his footprint in combat sports. He recently finalized a deal to lead a new Saudi-backed boxing promotion, with its debut event set for September 13. The card will coincide with a major bout between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, with White acting as the event’s chief promoter.
Despite his entry into boxing, White indicated he maintains positive relationships with key figures in the sport.
“I really like Eddie Hearn, Frank Warren and a lot of the other guys that are in the sport,” he said. “I think they are going to continue to do what they do, while we do what we do. I don’t think there is any rivalry because some of these guys I have good relationships with.”
