Zuffa Boxing: Bob Arum joins growing list of boxing promoters forecasting trouble for Dana White

UFC president Dana White will struggle to match his success in mixed martial arts when he launches the upcoming Zuffa Boxing enterprise, according to legendary promoter and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum.

White has targeted October for the launch of his newest fight league and has hired personnel to oversee its development with a business model similar to that which has taken mixed martial arts from a fringe sport to a multi-billion dollar industry planned. But Arum said it won't be so easy to transplant his success in MMA to the world of boxing.

One of Arum's major reservations is White having to abide by the Muhammad Ali Act, legislation enacted into boxing two decades ago to protect the rights of fighters when dealing with promoters.

White has so far resisted talk of adopting these guidelines in the UFC, as well as opposing talk of the implementation of a fighter's union in mixed martial arts, and Arum foresees some significant headaches in the UFC boss's future.

"Let him see how it is to work under the Muhammad Ali Act, and hopefully he'll put all his UFC fighters subject to that act," Arum said to Fight Hub TV. 

"One thing I’m sure is gonna happen is they’ll be a lot of pressure on him now to get rid of those lobbyists for the UFC who are in Washington who are preventing the Muhammad Ali Act from taking effect in Mixed Martial Arts. 

"Then there shouldn’t be a problem being under the Muhammad Ali Act. But you gotta make disclosures and all of that. Believe me, Dana can’t operate under the Muhammad Ali Act."

Arum also notes that the UFC's distribution model has changed in recent times as the company's deal with ESPN sees them move towards a paid subscription service rather than the broadcast TV and pay-per-view model which existed previously. 

"The UFC, he should really watch his own business because the UFC pay-per-view numbers have disappeared," Arum noted.

"They’re nothing. Nobody is tuning in anymore. That’s what he should be concentrating on rather than going into another sport."

Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn also predicted difficulty for White, telling MMA Fighting that he won't have the same control over his roster of fighters that he currently has in the UFC.

"I think the difference [is] he’s gonna find it very different in boxing [compared to] UFC. It’s not a sport that you can go in and dominate the fighters, control the fighters, get them to sign contracts to fight ultimately whoever they’re told to fight, which is the UFC model.

"One of the reasons I think the UFC does so well is because fighters really are told which fights they’re taking. That’s not the way in boxing. [In] boxing, the fighters tend to have much more control over their career.

"Of course, there are a number of promoters, there are a number of networks who are involved, so there’s a huge amount of politics in the sport of boxing, which is frustrating sometimes.

"I would love him to have a go at that, because I think the more promoters, the more investment, the more people making effort to make this sport great, the better. So here’s more than welcome, but I don’t think he’ll have the same kind of model as the UFC."

Details regarding Zuffa Boxing's stable of fighters, as well as broadcasting information, haven't yet been revealed but as time ticks ever closer to that rumored October start-date, it remains to be seen if White's midas touch in combat sports can handle the switch from 4oz gloves to the heavier kind, as well as all that comes with it.