UFC

DANA WHITE has ruled out working in boxing anytime soon after launching a scathing attack on the sport.
The UFC chief labelled boxing as ‘screwed up’ and ‘broken as it is’ as he laid into the sport.

UFC president Dana White has hit out at the state of boxing

Speaking to ESPN SportsCenter, White said: “The reason you’ve never seen me do anything is because that’s how screwed up and broken it is.
“That’s what a mess it is. Yeah, I’m not doing anything any time soon.”
White ridiculed the state of boxing after the recent announcement of Floyd Mayweather’s exhibition bout against Logan Paul.
He told pranksters NELK boys: “When people ask me what’s the state of boxing right now, that’s where it’s at.

“Didn’t that kid get beat up by the f*****g video game kid from England and now he’s going to fight Floyd Mayweather?”
White is clearly unimpressed by boxing’s move into YouTubers fighting and the recent exhibition bout between veterans Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.
The UFC boss was in talks earlier this year with Mayweather about working together.
But the discussions did not lead to a partnership and it remains to be seen whether White will reconsider a move into boxing.

Speaking to Yahoo Sports earlier this year, White said: “Floyd wants to fight.

“He wants to fight. We’re going to probably … listen, I’m dealing with all the (expletive) that’s going on with 2020 right now.
“Floyd and I want to work together. We want to do something. We’re going to do something.
“I just need a little more time to get my (expletive) together.”

Head of UFC Dana White announces 60 cuts from his fight roster More

CONOR McGREGOR is ‘on another level’ heading into his UFC return against Dustin Poirier.
That is according to his manager Audi Attar, who aimed a dig at Floyd Mayweather fighting Logan Paul.

Conor McGregor is ‘on another level’ heading into his UFC return against Dustin PoirierCredit: Instagram / @thenotoriousmma

McGregor is preparing to mark his comeback next month as he rematches Poirier – who he beat in 2014 – in a lightweight headliner.
And Attar promised the Irishman, 32, is mentally and physically better than ever before.
He told The National: “This is the best Conor I’ve seen ever, and I’ve been with him almost a decade now.
“It’s the mental fortitude, the emotional intelligence, the self-awareness, the time he’s spending with his kids in between sessions and what that does to him.

“It’s the reflection of everything that’s happened to us to date – the good, the bad and the ugly – having a level of wherewithal and foresight to understand what we need to do going forward to achieve the goals we have now.
“I’ve never seen Conor like this. It’s about the challenge, the competition, being the best version of ourselves.
“Not just the body, but the mind and the soul as well. And that’s fun for me to see.
“The guy doesn’t have to work a day in his life. He made more money this year not fighting; that’s how good business is.

“So to see him hungry to compete, hungry to continue to evolve, hungry to prove all the naysayers wrong and hungry to prove who his really is, not only athletically but as a businessman and as a human being, that to me is exciting.
“That’s a driver for me; it fulfils my purposes.
“The skill level is on another level. It really is, on all fronts. The chemistry within the team, the coaches and the coordination.”
As well as plotting to win back the UFC title he has not held since 2017, McGregor is linked with a boxing match against Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, 41, also has a management deal with Attar’s Paradigm Sports, paving the way for a crossover bout next year.
McGregor made his boxing debut three years ago, losing to Floyd Mayweather in round ten, but has not been in the ring since.
Mayweather, 43, retired professionally after the pay-per-view spectacle, but his career as a box office star continues.
He announced he will face 25-year-old YouTube sensation Logan Paul – who is 0-1 as a pro – next February in a ‘special exhibition’.

Floyd Mayweather will face YouTuber Logan Paul Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Paul is 0-1 as a pro boxer heading into the ‘special exhibition’Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Paul’s brother Jake, 23, is also making a run as a prizefighter and called out McGregor after knocking out retired NBA player Nate Robinson last month.
But Attar blasted the farcical mismatches involving the new age of boxing newcomers.
And he insisted McGregor and Pacquiao have no intentions of jumping on the trend, instead wanting to fight each other.
He said: “Manny Pacquiao sees Conor McGregor as a real threat and a real formidable opponent.
“And he has his own plans politically; he’s a machine in what he does. Either of them isn’t trying to go fight YouTubers next.
“At the end of the day, I don’t see why it shouldn’t happen.
“As we saw in 2020, you can never count anything out any more, but right now the intention is for that to happen in 2021.”

Manny Pacquiao with McGregor’s manager Audi Attar

Conor McGregor shows off rapid hand speed in training drill ahead of UFC return against Dustin Poirier More

DANA WHITE ridiculed the ‘state of boxing’ after Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul announced their ‘super exhibition fight’.
Mayweather confirmed the sensational news that he will fight YouTuber Paul in February 2021.

Floyd Mayweather pictured with UFC boss Dana White Credit: Splash News

Logan Paul will face Mayweather in a ‘super exhibition fight’Credit: Getty Images – Getty

UFC president Dana White – who was in talks with the American legend over a comeback fight – was left in hysterics over the farcical mismatch.
He told pranksters NELK boys: “When people ask me what’s the state of boxing right now, that’s where it’s at.
“Didn’t that kid get beat up by the f*****g video game kid from England and now he’s going to fight Floyd Mayweather?”
Paul’s one and only professional bout was a split-decision loss to his social media rival KSI – real name Olajide William Olatunji.

But he will return to the ring against Mayweather, who retired in 2017 after beating ex-UFC champion Conor McGregor, which White helped promote.
Describing the unprecedented event, Mayweather wrote on Instagram: “Super Exhibition Feb. 20, 2021 !!!! Early Bird Special On Sale NOW!!!!
“More Details Soon.”
According to the Fanmio website, early bird pricing is at $24.99 (£18.62) for the first million tickets sold.

It then rises to $39.99 (£29.80), and then to $59.99 (£44.71) starting December 29.
It will then increase to $69.99 (£52.16) for the final days of build up, starting February 11.
It is not yet clear which British broadcaster will air the exhibition.
BT Box Office picked up the rights to Mike Tyson’s comeback against Roy Jones Jr.
Snoop Dogg provided celebrity commentary for the pay-per-view spectacle in the US, and he has offered his services to Mayweather.

Paul’s one and only professional bout was a split-decision loss to his social media rival KSICredit: Getty – Contributor

Mayweather came out of retirement in 2018 for an exhibition bout against featherweight kickboxer Tenshin NasukawaCredit: AFP
Paul, 25, weighed in at 14st 2lb for his fight against KSI, 27, which he ended up losing after a two point deduction.
Whereas Mayweather tipped the scales at 10st 6lb, meaning he can expect to give away a massive FOUR STONE to the internet phenomenon.
The 43-year-old came out of retirement in 2018 for an exhibition bout against featherweight kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan.
Mayweather waked away from Tokyo £7million richer after just one round’s work.
He did announce last month that he will return to the Far East next year, but appears to be focussing on Paul beforehand.

Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul confirmed for February 20 More

JAKE PAUL revealed he is dedicating his life to beating UFC superstar Conor McGregor.
It comes after the YouTuber emphatically knocked out retired NBA star Nate Robinson to move to 2-0 in his professional career.

Jake Paul revealed he is dedicating his life to beating UFC superstar Conor McGregorCredit: Getty Images – Getty

McGregor is just one of the stars that Paul wants to fight Credit: https://www.instagram.com/thenotoriousmma/

Paul, 23, has set his sights on facing more celebrities and UFC stars.
And he revealed his mission will be complete once he fights and defeats Irish sensation McGregor.
Paul told ESPN: “I am dedicating my life to beating Conor McGregor. Financially, it already makes sense.
“Financially, I’m already one of the biggest prizefighters and there’s only a couple more bosses to check off and to beat and to conquer.

“I want to fight a couple more people, I think, first. We’re figuring that out.
“I want to prove to the world that, ‘Yo, I’m gonna knock out all these fighters’.
“Conor McGregor can maybe be the final boss.
“If we were playing a video game, he could be the final boss. And then I’ll probably retire after I beat McGregor.”

Paul claimed he is in talks with McGregor’s manager Audi Attar with the view of setting up a fight with the 32-year-old ex-UFC champion.
Despite his lack of experience in the ring, the American has backed himself as the heir to Floyd Mayweather’s throne as boxing’s top attraction.
Paul said to Barstool Sports: “It’s crazy but that’s that’s why I’m just like, f***, man, I truly believe that boxing was put into my life for for a f***ing reason.
“I feel like I was destined for this and I was selected by the gods to be the new Mayweather and to carry the crown and to make this sport, like, juicy as f*** and just put on a show, baby, because everyone wants to be entertained at the end of the day.
“And that’s what this is.”

Jake Paul says he was selected by the gods to be new Mayweather More

CLARESSA SHIELDS will attempt to juggle her career as the face of women’s boxing with a new venture into MMA.
The three-weight champion, who also has two Olympic Gold medals, has signed for the Professional Fighters League.

Boxing star Claressa Shields, 25, has made the move across to MMA Credit: Jose Pineiro/SHOWTIME

PFL have fighters compete in a fight-twice-in-one-night play-off system, with the winners advancing to the championship where they compete for a $1million (£750,000) cheque.
And Shields will make her debut in the promotion next summer, with plans to feature in their NFL-style season in 2022.
Here SunSport’s Jack Figg speaks to the 25-year-old boxing sensation, who reveals her plans to train with UFC legend Jon Jones and Holly Holm.
JACK FIGG: Claressa, why the move into MMA after such a dominant boxing career?

CLARESSA SHIELDS: Timing is everything and the conversation with PFL was very lucrative and very nice.
We had an understanding on what I stand for, what they stand for and it all kind of meshed together.
The conversation wasn’t like, ‘Hey, come over here, fight against our top girl, spend two months getting ready then go back to boxing’.
It was more, ‘Come over here, sign a three-year deal and trust us that you’re going to get fair and competitive matches and play a part in helping build your brand up’.

The PFL season is something that drew me to it too, it’s equal with the men and women who both get the chance to fight for a million dollars.
You can control your own destiny and that’s something that intrigued me.

Shields is a three-weight world champion and two-time Olympic gold medal winner in boxing Credit: Jose Pineiro/SHOWTIME
JF: So, are you committing to MMA long-term?
CS: Well, three years, yeah. For right now.
After three years, we’ll see what happens, but I’m hoping I can learn so much this year and have great teaching and coaching that by 2022 I’ll be ready for the PFL full season.
JF: Are you training in MMA right now?
CS: I’ve been doing wrestling behind the scenes for a while now.
I fly out to Albuquerque, New Mexico, tomorrow to train with Jonny Bones [Jones] and Holly Holm and their wonderful team of coaches for 11 days.
That will be great training also.
I’m hitting the bag for five minutes and five rounds and working on my wrestling with no breaks.
It’s way different, when I get down to Albuquerque I think we’ll do more mixing it up, but I didn’t want to self-teach myself as I could teach myself bad habits.

The American has two Olympic gold medals to her name Credit: Jose Pineiro/SHOWTIME
JF: The JacksonWink gym in Albuquerque is prestigious, could that be your MMA team full-time?
CS: That’s a possibility. Right now I’m just seeing who I have the best chemistry with, who understands me.
I’ve heard great things about the gym myself. Jonny Bones and Holly Holm are great friends of mine and I think it will be a great camp.
For those who want to watch, go to my Claressa Shields GWOAT channel on YouTube. They can follow it behind the scenes.

UFC legends Jon Jones and Holly Holm will train with Shields
JF: How will you manage you boxing and MMA career?
CS: I will fight February in boxing, then I plan on fighting towards the end of the year in boxing and fight in June in MMA.
But, then I don’t know when I’ll fight again in MMA. I’ll fight two fights in MMA but I don’t know exactly when.
I definitely plan on having two boxing matches and two MMA fights next year.
JF: You’re going from boxing superstar to MMA beginner, how is that feeling?
CS: Yeah, I’m starting over but I’m still strong, I still have boxing and a lot of girls who do MMA, they’re terrible at boxing.
I just have to catch up on the other things, wrestling, jiu jitsu, and the Muay Thai, kickboxing stuff.
But, having a boxing advantage that will definitely play in my favour in every fight that I have.

Shields with former UFC champion Joanna JedrzejczykCredit: @claressashields
JF: If you become a champion in MMA, due to your boxing achievements, where does that leave your legacy?
CS: I think it leaves me in the top one or two combat fighters ever. As boxers do not come over to MMA and do well.
That’s known, it’s not a stereotype, it’s a fact. But I’m going to be the one to break that.
JF: Will you still train in MMA when you have a boxing match coming up?
CS: I can box in my sleep. That’s easy. I’m going to be doing my MMA training throughout, I won’t stop doing it.
I’m going to try and at least do it two or three times a week.
I train multiple times a day, it went from twice but now it’s three of four, depending on how I feel.
Boxing is the same repetitive work; bag drills, strengthening your core, pad work and now of course I can add MMA into my second session where it’s technical stiff and just learning. More